what is helping me

When any part of my life feels uncertain or out of control, I try to focus on the things that I CAN do.

We can only do our best, and in this challenging season in which we find ourselves, I want to encourage you in ways you can be proactive with your health.

Let’s talk about ways to keep our immune system strong.

*Sleep.

This isn’t usually first on anyone’s list. I will admit that up until a couple of years ago, I probably would have listed it maybe 5th or 6th on such a list…as an afterthought.

Now I know that prioritizing your sleep can make such a difference in your health. And if you still have a newborn or littles who do not sleep through the night, do your best to go to bed earlier or catch a nap if possible. You are in a short season, so hang in there. The rest of us? Oh we can get adequate sleep. 😊

*Hydration.

I know it sounds so simple, but drink water–lots of it. Most of us have to be intentional about drinking water, so set alarms on your phone if that helps you. I start my day drinking 25 ounces of water, which always helps me get a jump start on the day. The goal is half of your body weight in ounces, but drinking more water than you did yesterday is a great place to start.

*Nutrition.

I’m going to keep this simple. As best as you can, limit processed foods (things that come in packages or boxes) and increase real food (foods you find in the perimeters of the grocery store like produce and fresh meat/fish). If you want extra credit, I would also highly recommend supplementing your nutrition with additional vitamins, minerals, prebiotics, probiotics, adaptogen herbs, antioxidants, phytonutrients, supergreens, and digestive enzymes. I get all of that (and more!) every day in one simple shake. It’s not a magic potion–just amazing nutrients to help keep your immune system strong.

*Exercise.

Again, I probably would have encouraged an intense workout program years ago. I do think that daily exercise is important, but it doesn’t have to be an extreme bootcamp or heavy weightlifting. I have done ALL KINDS of programs, and now that we are being asked to limit our social interactions, having access to hundreds of workouts on any web-enabled device means no gym membership required.

*Love.

So this really is the “reduce stress” category, but just asking people to “reduce stress” always feels like it is supposed to be an easy thing to check off of a list. I understand that this is a very stressful time for many of us. My husband is a small business owner, and we are dependent on people coming into his barbershop every day. So yes, it can be stressful not knowing the ramifications of all of this.

But maybe if we just focus on love–loving our family, looking out for our elderly neighbors, remembering those who are in need (including those who are still recovering from the deadly storms earlier this month in Tennessee)…perhaps instead of ingesting the news reports every day, look for ways to show love to someone else. None of us is promised tomorrow, but we can do our best to show love today.

You know I have never emailed twice in one week, but my heart has been heavy and I wanted to share what has helped me. I hope this encourages you to focus on the things you CAN control and to remember that making your health a priority is one of the biggest gifts and blessings right now and always.

Warmly,
Stephanie
As always, I would love to help you with your health and wellness goals. 💕