Can Self-Love actually be enough to power intentional healing of the body?
Most people think that love requires other people, but even self-love has the power to move mountains. Love really does have the power to heal us from the inside out. In fact, love has been proven to heal wounds at rapid paces.
So, what exactly is Self-Love???
How can we know if we are truly loving ourselves unconditionally?
This has taken me a lot of thought.
When I was hard on myself and especially my body, my body internalized that self-judgement with chronic body wide pain.
My body ached and burned for me to pay attention to it and love it just the way it was. It took me a lot of time to learn how to love myself. I think I am still mastering it and it may end up being my personal soul work in this life.
Self-love has taught me that I am loving to myself when…..
I take the time to slow down in my life. When I allow for more flow and ease and give up the stress of trying to control situations.
Self-love to me has been the ability to look inward and ask myself questions while listening for my soul's answers. Listening to my intuition, my soul’s whispers have been my greatest ally.
Self-love has been revelling in the perfection that I truly am. Perfect right now. Every body part, every thought, every curve, every pound.
Self-love is trusting my instincts and saying no when I need to rest or relax. This has not been easy for me. As an empath, I want to heal the world. Saying no has been an art for me.
Self-love has been about being kind and patient with myself and really accepting myself as a perfect creation of god/creator/spirit.
Self-love is about letting go of my judgements towards myself. I have learned that I am my worst critic. Quieting my inner critic with love and respect has been a vital part of my daily practice. It is sort of like brain gym for my negative Nancy. Correcting her behaviour when I notice her coming to visit.
Self-love is embracing my sensitivity. I tend to be a little emotional at times and can easily cry. Embracing this sensitivity has been so freeing for me. I have learned that showing my emotions in all situations has deepened my relationships with people and myself.
Self-love has been letting go of my past mistakes and forgiving myself. Thanking my soul for the knowledge and learning that came with it. After all, my biggest challenges have been my greatest teacher.
Self-love has been honouring my truth even when it is hard. Even when others disagree. I am still working on this one.
Self-love is about letting go of relationships and things that no longer align with my highest and best interest.
It has also been about taking myself on dates, buying myself flowers and being my very best friend. It is about knowing that I deserve the best and giving myself permission to give that best to myself. I love to treat myself to the very best when I can.
We can also lean into loving our partners/spouses/friends and even animal companions more. Making time for hugs and cuddles. Love of all kinds releases lovely hormones like dopamine and oxytocin. They relax the stress response and really make the body ripe for miracles.
When we feel a lack of self-love, love and connection, we are more susceptible to imbalances in the body. Our bodies are so wise. The body shifts as our frequencies shift.
When we are out of cinq with love we can be more susceptible to...
Chronic inflammation
Immune system imbalances
Elevated blood pressure
Increased cortisol levels
Pain
Fatigue
Depression
Anxiety
Increased reactivity to stress
This is really because lack of love can activate our stress response.
When we feel love in our hearts we….
Have more flexibility
Immune systems are balanced
Pain is less
Your Heart beats stronger
Hormones are better balanced
Feel happy
Sleep deeper
Blood sugars are more stable.
Exercise more, and our blood chemistry physically changes
SELF LOVE
For me, it has been about learning to say no, taking time for myself and really turning my attention to self-care.
Self-love has been about being kind to myself and loving every curve and dimple on my body. It has been about being my biggest fan, and my very best friend.
It has been about being patient with myself and knowing that there is a great timing for everything.
It has also been about self-forgiveness and even permission to let out the parts of myself that are not all that pretty.
Self-love has been my greatest healing journey.
Do you practice self-love?
I would love to hear about it. Leave your comments below.
Keri Fulmore Medical Intuitive & Functional Medicine Practitioner
How Beneficial Can Meditating Be For Your Mental Health?
Thursday, December 16, 2021
Numerous studies have proven the benefits of Positive aspects of regular meditation.
Few of them are,
Lower blood pressure
improved concentration
decreased stress
reduced anxiety and depression symptoms
And many others also.
It has been proven that different types of meditation provide similar benefits in terms of physical or mental health. Senior Home Health Care Services is playing a vital role, keeping people mentally satisfied and relaxed with meditation.
1. Better Focus and Concentration
Better focus on the present can be achieved by having mindfulness meditation which can also increase your concentration towards other daily life tasks.
A study was carried out by Harvard Medical School in 2011. They tried to find out the results of mindfulness meditation on your brain, and they were able to find a link between processing new information and mindfulness.
Positive results were achieved in which development in the brain's learning, memory & emotional regulation parts was found, and this research includes 17 people who had an eight-week meditation program.
2. Strengthen Dignity and Cognizant
It is also found that discovering positive attributes of your personality and more profound self-reflection benefits or positive aspects of mindfulness meditation.
Mindfulness helps increase self-awareness by increasing the ability to examine one's thoughts and feelings without judgment.
It can help the person having social anxiety, as per research at Stanford University. In Cognitive Psychotherapy Journal, a study was published in 2009, in which two months of meditation of 14 participants took place who was suffering from social anxiety. The results were terrific that improved self-esteem and decreased anxiety were reported after the program was completed.
3. Reduce Stress
Cortisol can also be kept in control by mindfulness meditation. It is a stress hormone that keeps you in relaxation mode.
Mindfulness meditation was an effective way to reduce stress in more than 200 studies back in 2013.
There is a meditation in which you keep on repeating sounds or words so that you can keep your self-focused which is known as Transcendental meditation, as a result of which you can achieve a level of stillness and stability.
It was found that Support staff and teachers who were doing transcendental meditation could reduce their psychological distress in a study conducted in 2019.
To measure the participant's level of burnout, depression, and stress, researchers used stress scales. People who were doing meditation twice a day for 10-25 minutes over four months seven-step transcendental meditation course resulted in minimizing the stress and burnout.
4. Manage Anxiety or Depression
You will be less likely to use your head on anxious thoughts that will increase your stress, and it can be controlled by having mindfulness meditation.
Jama Internal Medicine reported in 2014 that anxiety and depression could be controlled by mindful meditation, and it can be used for the treatment of mental illness.
The same study reported positive effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction therapy, which integrates the meditation of mindfulness. Using this therapy, a person can reduce the issues or problems like not having a night of proper sleep, less appetite, a bad mood, and calm their mind and other aspects of depression.
5. Fight Addiction
By having this meditation, a patient can control the brain's receptors linked with alcohol addiction & drug addiction to reduce the craving of these things.
"That awareness is compelling because it can allow us to ride the urge or the craving… without getting overcome by it," Davidson says. "We can notice the urge, notice that it's there, but we don't have to give in to it."
It was discovered that mindfulness meditation could help prevent future relapse in patients with substance use disorder, as it generates therapeutic effects that help the brain regulate pleasure experiences.
6. Control Pain
Doctors also say that mindful meditation is part of the extensive pain management plan. As a result of a study across 60 trials and more than 6500 participants, it was declared in 2020 that pain reduction was found in people who suffered from acute, post-surgical, and chronic pain.
7. Boost Up Your Kindness and Loving Nature
Circuits that promote altruism decrease unexpressed or unconscious bias responsible for prolonging harms stereotypical, enhancing emotions of people get strengthen through behavior loving-kindness meditation.
To initiate a meditation of loving-kindness, you think of a loved one and wish them happiness. You can know to share this happiness with other people also.
You can use a simple phrase that you silently repeat to yourself, like 'may you enjoy happiness' as you hold that person in your mind.
In a nutshell, Mental and physical health can have many benefits from meditation. If any person is willing to improve their focus, deal with depression, addiction, or chronic pain should experience it, and it is dead sure that they will have positive results.
This is something I have been doing for many years and I feel that it has been a huge factor in my development and nourishing of my healing abilities, along with the maintenance of my own health.
What I am referring to is Meditating with a Tree.
You know that feeling when you go for a walk or spend time in a forest; how relaxed and balanced you feel during and after.
That is because you are taking in some of the healing energies available to you. So, what if you took the time to place your hands on a healthy tree and allowed yourself to feel the energy that it wants to share with you on an even deeper level?
This is what I do. More specifically, I ask if the tree has a message for me, if it has a healing for me and if it has anything it wants to share with me.
You see trees have spirits too, they are alive, and they communicate through frequency. Once you attune to the frequency you can understand their language. But that is for another conversation.
If you want to increase your life force, as in help your body be and feel healthier, heal faster from illnesses and injuries, become more adaptable to stress, increase your intuition and simple become more resilient I recommend doing this simple of act of Meditating with a Tree.
The act of Meditating with Trees has a long history and there are many great people throughout history that proclaimed they gained healing power and enlightenment via meditating with a tree.
Two specific people are Buddha and Jesus Christ.
How I Meditate with a TREE
The way I meditate with a tree is I look for a strong healthy tree somewhere where I will not be disturbed (this can even be in your own yard). I stand in front of it placing my hands on the trunk in a comfortable location with my eyes closed. I breath naturally and allow myself to feel the energy of the tree.
The more you do this the more sensitive you become to the subtle energy of the tree.
If you have never done this before I recommend using the same tree daily to develop a relationship with it. You will be amazed that overtime you will feel the love from that tree before you even touch it because it will be projecting to you when you are close by and even from further distances.
To help deepen your relationship with the tree ask it questions like the ones I wrote above. Along with asking it, “is there anything I can do for you?” Trees love it when you give back to them. This can be as simple of projecting love to them or visualizing them healthy.
If you are hearing for the first time, it might sound strange. But, think about it, you have nothing to lose. If anything, you have much to gain.
I’d love to hear from you. Let me know if you have ever meditated with a tree and what your experience was like?
Just this morning I was admiring an ancient tree who lives next door to us and telling it how much I love it and hope it lives many more years. I thought about sitting up against it but it's really cold here! Tomorrow I will put my hands on it and tune in. Thank you for this spirit message Adam! Lizz
My family and I were exposed to Covid-19 on March 24. First of all I want to let you know we are all doing good.
We have all experienced some minor symptoms that have come and gone like sore throat, mild coughing, loss of sense of smell temporary and headaches. Thankfully no breathing troubles or fevers.
I know we will overcome this because we have strong immune systems from eating well and we are taking specific supplements and essential oils that are supporting are immunity during this time.
One thing Keri and I made sure to do when we first heard about Covid-19 was to make sure we had the supplements and essential oils in our house we needed in case we did get exposed.
Another thing I do everyday is to make sure that I am connecting with the energy of unconditional love everyday.
Unconditional loveboosts immunity, promotes healing and clears stress. Something that is very important with all the fear and scarcity right now.
Information is power my friend and I want to let you know that Keri (my wife) and I are sharing everything we are doing in specific details and why we are doing it to optimize our health during Covid-19 and our recent exposure.
If you are a person that falls into the high risk group, then this information is particularly important to you.
High Risk Group Includes:
Age 65 years and up
High blood pressure
Cardiovascular issues
Chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
Obesity
Diabetes
Liver disease
Kidney disease
Immunocompromised: including cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications.
If you would like to find out what we are doing, along with take part in a Group Healing to boost your immunity, ability to heal and clear stress, fear, anger, worry, sadness to help bring you back to a state of balance check here.
2. Ask what is going on with the person. Example of a question is, "What is the root cause of the person's pain?"
3. Listen. Using my intuitive abilities I listen, feel, see or know the answer to their symptoms.
4. Heal. Once I know the root cause, I ask what the person needs in order to heal from their symptoms.
Often the person needs a specific high vibrating frequency like Unconditional Love to heal. So, I direct that frequency to the person to promote healing and repair.
“If you want to be healthy and live a 100 years, do qigong.” ~ Dr. Oz
In China they have known this fact for 1000s of years. Qi Gong is the foundation from where all Traditional Chinese Medicine originates. It is well known for its health and longevity promoting benefits.
What is Qi Gong?
Qi Gong is a holistic system of coordinated body posture and movement, breathing, and meditation used for the purposes of health, spirituality, and martial arts training. Qi Gong is traditionally viewed as a practice to cultivate and balance qi (energy/life force).
Qi Gong practice typically involves moving meditation, coordinating slow flowing movement, deep rhythmic breathing, and calm meditative state of mind. Qi Gong is now practiced throughout China and worldwide for recreation, exercise and relaxation, preventive medicine and self-healing, alternative medicine, meditation and self-cultivation, and training for martial arts.
Cool Fact about Qi Gong
There are both medicine-less and regular hospital in China where Qi Gong is practiced to restore health to the sick for even issues like cancer.
But Qi Gong is not only practiced by the sick, it’s a way of life for many (including myself).
I’ve been practicing Qi Gong for over 20yrs and I’ve experienced many benefits and seen other benefit in the following ways:
Pain reduction
Emotional stress relief
Faster recovery time from illness and injuries
Improved concentration and focus
Intuitive and psychic development
Increased energy levels
Regulate blood pressure
Improve coordination and balance
These benefits are all possible because Qi Gong exercises help to declutter your personal energy which gets altered by negative thinking, stress, poor food choices, toxins, electro-magnetic frequencies (EMF) and more.
When your energy is flowing smoothly, then your blood flows smoothly and nourishes your cells, tissues, organs, glands, etc. efficiently. Thus, helping to strengthen your body.
Where can you learn Qi Gong?
1. Look for an instructor in your local area.
2. I teach weekly classes in the Balanced Health Membership. Each class is recorded, so members can practice exercises several times to master them.
Winter is said to host many dreaded colds and flu bugs. Not only that, but it is historically known as one of the most depressing seasons in North America.
Why is it a dull season to many?
I think it is the lack of sunshine, flu’s and colds, and a dull feeling after the excitement of the holidays.
Many people find themselves battling cold after cold, having less energy than they would like and even feeling alittle blue.
But, rather than grab for cough syrup and cold remedies, how about boosting your immune system so you are rock solid and don’t get sick at all?
Wouldn’t you like to cruise through winter healthy, happy and have boundless amounts of energy?
I know I would!
Lets Clear Some Things Up First
Many people believe that if you go out into the cold weather dressed improperly, you will catch a cold. Whether that is an old wives tale or a good parental scare tactic, it’s just not true.
Cold weather actually boost your IMMUNE SYSTEM. Going from cold to hot gets your lymphatic system moving, heart pumping and immune system engaged. It’s like giving your immune system a workout!
What About the Germs?
Do you think that there are actually more germs floating around in the winter than in the summer?
Not true!
The germs are still there. It’s actually the sun’s UVB & UVA Rays that increase your absorption of Vitamin D keeping your immune system strong in the summer months.
Yes, you still get Vitamin D in the winter just less is absorbed from less UVB & UVA Rays.
I should mention that people are generally happier in the summer. With happiness comes less stress, and since stress is a major immune system inhibitor, it’s no wonder less people get sick in the summer.
Could It Be Less Exercise?
Like it or not, for the most part, people are not as active in the winter months. They stay indoors more often than not, and don’t engage in as many sports. Even getting to the gym can prove to be a big feat for some.
Exercise improves circulation, stimulates the immune system, detoxifies your body and raises energy levels. Not only is it essential for good immunity, but it gives you a good boost of 'feel good hormones.'
So, exercise is essential for warding off flu bugs for sure.
7 Tips for Increasing Immunity
1. Exercise – Make sure that you are getting at least 30-60 minutes of exercise daily. This will increase your immunity, help you stay strong and fit and give you the 'joy du vive' you are looking for in the winter.
Have you ever noticed that people who exercise in the winter are happier?
2. Vitamin D – Supplement with Vitamin D to increase your body’s immunity in the winter months. Vitamin D helps you fight infections of all kinds.
A study in Japan, showed that school aged children taking Vitamin D everyday during the winter, reduced their risk of catching the flu.
The recommended daily intake of Vitamin D is 1000 iu for adults. But, I have found that most people living in the Northern Hemisphere require more to maintain optimal levels. Make sure to get tested with your doctor to see where your Vitamin D levels are.
3. Get Adequate Rest – Let’s face it, even with the dark days upon us, a lot of us have a tendency to stay up way too late. Lack of rest not only decreases your body’s energy, but also increases your stress levels. Stress lowers immunity.
You should be striving to get to bed by 10pm everyday to keep your body’s energy up and therefore your immunity.
4. Probiotics – One of the best immune boosters are good flora or Probiotics. Did you know that good good flora make up the first line of defense for your immune system. Good flora also create about 80% of your immunity. So, it goes without saying that to have great immunity, you definitely need to have a strong gut health.
I personally supplement with good flora containing fermented foods like kefir and kombucha on a daily basis. You can also use Probiotics, which can be found in your natural health food store or in my store.
Make sure you buy a Probiotics that are stored in the fridge to maintain potency.
5. Herbal Immune Boosters – There are many Herbal Immune Boosters you can use in the winter for both prevention and treatment. The key is consistency. My favorvites include:
Echinacea
Goji Berries
Maitake Mushrooms
Astragalus Root
Pine Needles
Echinacea – This is one of the more commonly known immune boosters, but I find that it is not always used correctly. Echinacea is widely used to fight infections, especially common colds and other upper respiratory infections. I have also used it at the first signs of mastitis quite effectively. The key is to use it at the first signs of infection: virus or bacteria.
So how do you use Echinacea?
Firstly, it’s more potent and effective to use a tincture made from fresh Echinacea rather than dried. Dried Echinacea has normally lost a lot of its potency.
Echinacea tincture can be used on the first signs of a cold or flu. But, 20-30 drops two to three times a day is usually not that effective. For the first sign of a cold or infection, Echinacea can be used safely every 1-2 hours 1tsp or 30 drops, until the cold or infection subsides.
As always if you have an infection that does not improve, you should always see a doctor. Also, if you have an auto-immune disease you should speak with a practitioner before using it.
You can purchase Echinacea at health food stores or online.
Goji Berries – For more than 5000 years the Chinese have used Goji Berries as part of their traditional medicine. It’s known as ‘The Fruit of Longevity;’ having amazing immune enhancing qualities.
Goji Berries are loaded with Vitamin C and I love to get it from natural sources.
Most Vitamin C supplements found on store shelves are derived from corn and most likely genetically modified (GMO). So that’s a big win for Goji Berries.
Goji Berries also reduce inflammation, improve resistance to cancer cell growth, nourish blood, reduce allergies & dizziness, improve vision and even help with low back pain. WOW!
You can buy Goji Berries in health food stores, grocery stores and online.
Astragalus Root - This is another herb used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as an ENERGY & IMMUNE BOOSTER. It’s known as an adaptogenic herb, which means it lowers your stress hormone cortisol. Stress hormones inhibit your immune system, so Astragalus is a powerful herb to keep on hand.
Astragalus also strengthen the lungs, which can lessen your susceptibility to respiratory infections and viruses and contains antioxidants that reduce inflammation.
This is something I like to take everyday in the winter to keep my immune system top notch.
You can buy Astragalus at health food stores or online.
Pine Needles – Did you know that pine needles are extremely high in Vitamin C & A? Not only that, but they are also a very powerful antioxidant, antiviral and immune system powerhouse. Pine Needles have been used for eons by native communities to boost Vitamin C levels, prevent cold and flu.
Pine Needles are great for preventing oxidative stress, beneficial for your skin and hair, and even have been known to improve vision.
Pine Needle tea also is antiseptic, helping to prevent bad bacteria and microbes from affecting your body. They also help treat respiratory cold and infection by expectorating phlegm and neutralizing pathogens found in the sinuses.
All you need are some Pine Needles and a pot of water. A good handful will do. Just bring water to a boil, turn off, put Pine Needles in pot, cover and let steep for 15-30mins. Strain and enjoy.
6. Local Raw Honey – Honey is perhaps one of the best immune system boosters out there. The world health organization lists honey as a demulcent, which treats coughs. I have used it for dry cough quite successfully.
Raw honey contains bee pollen, which is also known to ward off infections, prevent allergies, and is a natural source of energy.
Honey has been extensively studied and has been shown to increase disease fighting polyphenols in the blood. Polyphenols are part of what makes honey a great choice for both prevention and treatment of colds.
7. Laughter - They say laughter is the best medicine. I think this is more true than we realize. Not only does laughter increase our sense of well being, inner happiness and energy, but it creates a strong immune system.
It's one of the easiest ways to boost immunity.
I think that as adults we tend to laugh less than children. Perhaps we should take a tip from the kids and be more care-free in life?
So, how can you bring more laughter into your life? Make a commintment to laugh everyday, even if there is nothing to laugh at. Some would call this Laughter Yoga. Simply laugh. Soon you will be laughing at how silly it is and it will become infectious.
You could also make time to watch a comedy, visit friends (this usually brings about some laughs) and even play with kids. It doesn't matter how you do it, just make time for laughing each day.
What matters most for yourself is to come up with a good plan to keep your body and mind healthy and enjoy winter.
You will know you are doing good when people around you are getting sick and you are not or you recover quickly from colds and flus.
As a child and teenager, I suffered from severe irritability. I felt like a ticking time bomb ready to go off if someone said or did something to trigger me. It was rare if I didn’t wake up irritated and frustrated.
But these intense feelings I felt were the result of what was going on inside of me, creating perpetual stress.
On an unconscious level I was attached to anger, frustration, fear and sadness to many people without realizing it.
This was because at different points in my past I felt these people had hurt me through their words and actions.
Though it was me that was still holding onto those painful experiences, because I didn’t know how to process them.
Those experiences were kind of like undigested food rotting in my stomach, creating all kinds of different problems.
Those unprocessed negative experiences were telling my central nervous system (CNS) on an unconscious level to be in a state of fight or flight all the time, causing me to feel terrible.
This made it very hard for me to relax and feel comfortable with myself and others.
Physically, this affected my sleep, digestion and caused my body to feel tense and tight all the time.
At the time, I had no idea that I was still being affected from past experiences until I did this….
Quieted my mind and listened through meditation.
When I first began meditating at age 20yrs old, I had a flood of negative feelings, thoughts and images arise to my consciousness. It was quite scary and intimidating at first.
But, I quickly learned anEXERCISE(listen to it below)that was centred around focusing on loving myself and other people.
This powerful exercise helped me process the painful experiences, so I could finally overcome the pain they were causing me.
It helped me to realize that I needed to forgive the people that hurt me and send love to them (including myself).
All the negative feelings I was creating on a day to day basis were creating so much tension in my body that they were continually creating a toxic state for myself.
As a result the physical, mental and emotional symptoms quickly resolved.
Clearing the stress in my mind also enhanced my intuition because it was no longer being blocked by stress and negativity.
When I decided to stop and observe, rather than reacted to every thought and feeling I experienced, it allowed me to create change.
Looking back at it now I find it amazing how simple it was to process the old emotional pain when I decided to let love in and let go.
If you are anything like I was, the following Loving Kindness Exercise may be one of the most important things you do for your healing and moving forward with your life.
I sooo love this simple exercise. It brings my heart more peace and I feel like I'm relaxing more into myself. Thank you for gifting me and others this exercise, Adam.
Greatness doesn’t happen overnight, it’s created through regular consistent investment of your time and energy.
You’re already putting your energy into things, why not direct your time and energy into things that help you to thrive.
Below I share 5 things I have been doing to help me increase my health and happiness and I know you will benefit from them too!
5 Things to Make 2019 Great
1. Exercise for 1hr daily.
If you want to take your health to the next level exercise is the way to do it. I have been working out, lifting weights and swimming 3-4 days per week for 2 months. In that short amount of time I have built up more muscle mass, am physically stronger, improved my endurance and energy level, feel less stressed, and haven’t gotten a sick (in the most notorious time of year to get sick).
On top of all that, I walk 1-2 hrs per day with my dogs.
There are so many benefits to exercise like:
Stronger lungs = more oxygen to your muscles and brain = more energy.
Protection from flus and colds. Exercise increases immunoglobulins, which are proteins that help bolster your immune system and ward off infection.
Mental calmness - Mood-enhancing chemicals, like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, flood your brain for a couple of hours post-exercise and for up to a day if you've competed in an endurance event, like a marathon. Stress? What stress?
Healthy weight - You're blasting calories, even at rest. "For every 100 calories you burn during your workout, you can expect to burn 15 calories after," Example, If you went on a three-mile run, you would torch about 300 calories, which could mean zapping an extra 45 later.
Healthy Heart – After every sweat session you lower your blood pressure for up to 16hrs.
Risk of diabetes goes down - The more you work out, the greater your sensitivity to insulin. That, in turn, lowers your blood sugar levels, reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes.
Physically stronger – regular exercise strengthens your muscles, bones and organs, helping to prevent weakness as you age.
Anti-aging – Fitness buffs have more telomeres. The DNA that bookends our chromosomes and protects them from damage, which can slow the aging process, studies show.
Melt away fat – After 4 weeks of regular exercise, your body ditches flab and gains muscle. Overweight people who took part in a four-week program of moderate aerobic exercise in an Australian study reduced ab fat by 12%. Wow, that’s fantastic!
2. Love yourself every day!
I have been focusing on loving myself unconditionally for the last 6yrs.
The benefits I have gained from this are:
Less stress
Attracted more friends into my life
Developed healthier relationship with family and friends.
Heal faster physically
Feel more optimistic about life.
The trick to loving yourself is to tell yourself, “I love myself unconditionally,” and allow yourself to feel the how you react to that statement.
Allow yourself to fully embrace the feelings created by loving yourself unconditionally.
The next thing, I recommend you do is ask yourself, “What do I want to do today that will help me love myself even more?”
Ask yourself this question in a quiet & calm place and listen to the answer your body gives back to you.
3. Set a goal of something you really want to do for yourself?
This could be a trip, get into better shape and health, learn a new skill or make a new friend.
This is not limited to one goal, set as many as you would like, but remember to take action to make them happen.
4. Go somewhere you have never been before.
This helps you get out of routine, your comfort zone and realize there’s more to life than what is going on in your world.
I know when I go somewhere I haven’t been before I experience a lot of unexpected happiness. This is due to growing and learning new things, which stimulates serotonin production.
5. Meditate on a daily basis.
Meditation is amazing at showing you where you could be limiting yourself. Limits create stagnation and stagnation is the root of all imbalances: mental, emotional, spiritual and physical.
Therefore, by meditating you have the ability to make the unconscious conscious and see how you are affecting yourself and make the changes needed to live a fulfilling life.
To help align with the happier and healthier version of yourself I have created the Meditation Removing Restrictions for you.
When I ask you to think about hormone issues, what is the first words that come to your mind?
Endometriosis, pms, mood swings, weight gain, insomnia, pcos or even hair loss?
Those are quite common symptoms of hormone imbalances, but what are some of the other hormone symptoms you can have?
Let me name a few….
Fatigue – this is more common than you might think, and your hormones have a lot to do with it!
Low Libido – a lack of interest in sex, has a lot to do with hormones.
Weight loss Resistance – Hormones definitely contribute to weight gain and weight loss resistance.
Aching muscles and joints – Did you know that your hormones can actually cause you pain when they are imbalanced?
Hair loss – Hair thinning all over the head can be a sign of high androgens and other hormone imbalances.
Ovarian Cysts – This is definitely a sign that your hormones are needing some balancing.
Dry Eyes – Yes, dry eyes can also be caused by hormones.
Anxiety and Depression…
Hot flashes, insomnia, mood swings, water retention, cramps, constant colds, and many, many more…….
So, what can you do about it?
First and foremost, I suggest learning the differences between testing your hormones with blood, urine and saliva.
Yes, they are very different.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BLOOD, URINE AND SALIVA TESTING!
BLOOD
Blood is an accurate reading of what is happening at one point in the day. It is great for testing the overall picture. Blood or serum is great for testing peptide hormones and total hormones such as Follicle stimulating hormone, LH, prolactin, insulin and even thyroid hormones (if the free form is included).
But, for sex hormones no distinction is made in blood between bound hormones and free hormones (the hormones your body can use).
Women have three different kinds of estrogen in the body: estradiol, estrone and estriol. In blood they are only tested as one hormone. Meaning we can’t tell the difference between the good and bad estrogens in the body by evaluating blood.
This can lead to misleading results!
It can cause hormones to appear completely normal or even high normal. Remember blood is only testing the total of your three estrogens.
But, if the free hormone level is low (your available hormone or usable hormone) you can still feel like a hot hormone mess. Even if your doctor has told you that your hormones are normal!
Serum hormone testing also does not measure estrogen, adrenal or androgen metabolites. So, it does not show how those hormones are breaking down in the body and how well the liver’s phase one and two detoxification is working.
SALIVA
Saliva has become really popular over the years. Saliva is non-invasive and quite easy to do. The benefit to saliva is that it allows for multiple collections over a 24 hour period, or even an entire month. This allows you to see abnormal hormone patterns, such as shortened luteal phase (the second half of a woman’s cycle), or even cortisol patterns over the entire day.
A Saliva test measures free hormones (your usable hormones or bioavailable hormones), which makes it a better measure then blood for evaluating hormone profiles.
Remember blood is measuring your total hormones and only at one point in the day, which does not give you a good indicator of hormones that may dip or spike during certain times in the month.
Saliva is a good measure of Estradiol, estrone, and estriol, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA. But, saliva does not show steroid hormone metabolites. This is limiting as it does not show you how your hormones are breaking down, or if they are being reabsorbed.
URINE
The 24 hour urine hormone test is the preferred method for testing hormones. It tests for hormones secreted at night, like cortisol and melatonin as well as growth hormone.
Got insomnia or sleeping trouble? This test can show you why!
Urine testing measures unbound hormones, reflecting the bioavailable hormones or the hormones that are available for use right now!
The advantage of urine testing is the ability to measure hormone metabolites. It will show your estrogen levels good and bad, and whether they are metabolizing down a pathyway that can be carcinogenic. Urine will also show how Androgens are metabolizing in your body, whether they are going down the pathway that will cause hair thinning and androgenic alopecia etc.
Urine testing can show the balance of protective “good” estrogens, compared to harmful or “bad” estrogens and whether your treatment protocol is working. This is huge! No longer do you have to wonder if you are getting anywhere with what you are taking!
Urine hormone testing measures both phase 1 and 2 liver detoxification. It shows how well the liver is metabolizing estrogen, among other hormones and how well the liver is functioning, which is huge in everything from hormone imbalances to depression and anxiety.
Urine is also an excellent test to evaluate adrenal health and function. It not only measures DHEA and DHEAs, but measures cortisone and cortisol, telling us the status of your adrenal glands and if adrenal fatigue is an issue.
In my opinion, urine is the gold standard of hormone testing.
BEING VULNERABLE
I tested my Urine hormones a year ago. It led me to some eye -opening discoveries.
I found out that my liver’s phase two detoxification was quite low (I suspected as much) and that my estrogens were beginning to metabolize down a carcinogenic pathway. THIS IS HUGE. Essentially, this test allowed me to begin treating this issue before it became significant.
Blood would never have been able to show me this.
If you would like to discover your hormone profile, as a Functional Medicine Practitioner, I have begun offering these tests.
So, what exactly is Self-Love??? 
It has also been about taking myself on dates, buying myself flowers and being my very best friend. It is about knowing that I deserve the best and giving myself permission to give that best to myself. I love to treat myself to the very best when I can. 
What I am referring to is Meditating with a Tree. 
The way I meditate with a tree is I look for a strong healthy tree somewhere where I will not be disturbed (this can even be in your own yard). I stand in front of it placing my hands on the trunk in a comfortable location with my eyes closed. I breath naturally and allow myself to feel the energy of the tree. 
One thing Keri and I made sure to do when we first heard about Covid-19 was to make sure we had the supplements and essential oils in our house we needed in case we did get exposed. 
Unconditional love boosts immunity, promotes healing and clears stress. Something that is very important with all the fear and scarcity right now. 
Quieted my mind and listened through meditation. 
yourself? 
5. Meditate on a daily basis.
I tested my Urine hormones a year ago. It led me to some eye -opening discoveries. 
