Give Yourself This Gift 🎁

Consider this a virtual hug from me to you 🫶

Even though the holidays can be beautiful, the expectations to do it all, make everything perfect, and show up smiling for it all are just—unrealistic.

Especially if you are a busy mom, a perfectionist, or an overachiever.

💫 So this is your reminder that it’s okay to say no.

To give yourself some breathing room.

To prioritize what means the most to you.

You might be surprised.

That small act of self-care could mean you’ll be more present and have more energy for the things that really matter.

Share this with someone else who also might need this message!

Tiny Shifts for Big Energy ☀️

It comes down to 3 things ➡️

As the days get shorter and the weather gets colder, here are some things I do to keep my energy up!

☀️ LIGHT

Direct morning sunlight signals the body that it’s time to wake up! On the other end of the spectrum, I power down electronics at night to minimize blue light exposure before bed.

🏋️‍♀️ MOVEMENT

If the weather isn’t ideal, it can take more commitment to exercise every day. Time to try out some indoor options, like yoga or weights.

🥣 FOOD

It only makes sense to shift our eating patterns toward warmer, cooked, and nourishing foods for late fall. Time to pull out that stew pot!

If you’ve never thought about adjusting your routine to the seasons, I encourage you to think about what feels good for your body as the weather changes and tune in to what it’s asking for.

Daily Self-Care (Checklist)

What’s your list look like?

I believe everyone has different things that fill their cup, and what works for one person won’t work for everyone.

But I encourage you to be open-minded.

If you’ve never tried sticking to a morning routine (or breaks for deep breathing or an evening wind-down), how do you know you won’t love it?

Drop me a ❤️ if you found this helpful! Look below for some ideas for self-care!

#selfcareroutine #selfcaredaily #morningroutine #holisticlifestyle #elementsnatmed

Foods for Vagal Tone

Nutrition for the Vagus Nerve?

It’s true!

Foods can increase vagal tone through the gut-brain axis. For example:

🥦 Fiber sends signals through the vagus nerve to the brain and back to slow gut movements and make us feel full.

🥗 The Mediterranean Diet is associated with higher heart rate variability, which is a measure of vagal tone.

🐟 Probiotics, omega-3 fatty acids, and B vitamins improve heart rate variability too.

The vagus nerve regulates everything from heart health to metabolic health to immune function, and it is strongly influenced by what is going on in the gut! That means that anything you do (or eat) to affect gut health will probably also affect vagal tone.

We love to nerd out on how everything in the body is connected. If you are trying to make sense of what is going on with your own health or how your symptoms relate, we can help.

Visit our website to schedule an appointment today! 📱

Reference

Young HA, Benton D. Heart-rate variability: a biomarker to study the influence of nutrition on physiological and psychological health?. Behav Pharmacol. 2018;29(2 and 3-Spec Issue):140-151. [link]

Try This Simple Breathing Exercise ☯️

Have ONE minute for an energy boost? 

Stop the scroll and try ⭐Belly Breathing⭐

Lots of people don’t even realize their breaths are short and shallow. It’s how we breathe when we’re anxious, but for some it becomes a pattern. Shallow breathing decreases oxygen to the brain and can make you feel tired and distracted.

For a quick energy boost, try taking one minute for intentional belly breathing:

1️⃣ Inhale through your nose for a count of 4. Make sure your belly expands rather than your chest. 

2️⃣ Exhale through your mouth for a count of 4. 

3️⃣ Repeat for one minute. 

Taking action to improve your health and feel better does not need to be hard! Even one minute makes a difference.