Breathe with Intention

Despite the fact I live in Spain, I just like everyone else struggle through the winter season to prevent the pesky cold from taking hold.

Over the last month I’ve been especially run down and have found it challenging admits all the running back and forth to make sure I’m sleeping and eating how I should to fuel my body. Needless to say, I’m completely lacking the vitamins and minerals I should have from my diet, to get me through, and my current schedule has been leaving little time for myself to recover.

After almost one month of the sniffles and lethargy, I’ve started to kick myself back in shape and thus kick the pesky cold to the curb, here’s what I’ve been adding to my new regime…. and sprinkling in before and after meals.

Morning Kick Starter: Veggie Chai Tea (Carrot, Ginger, Licorice, Beet, Turmeric, Black pepper, Chicory, Sunflowers + Daily dose of fruit (Homemade smoothie of Cucumber, Ginger, Spinach, Oranges, Cilantro and Matcha).

Afternoon Pick Me Up: Mandarine Oranges + A few squares of Locally Made Blanxart Apple & Honey Dark Chocolate.

Evening Wind Down: Round 2 of Veggie Chai Tea + Meditation (How I’m fuelling my mind)

In addition to all of the above, I make sure I never miss a day without my USANA supplements. Ever since I started on the CellSentials and Probiotics, I’ve seen a considerable change in my energy level, my lethargy has gone down and every morning I feel rejuvenated.

Sometimes we all need a little nudge to jump start our health improvement regime. Take the USANA True Health Assessment (less than 10 min) and receive a customised assessment of your Top Health Risks, A Lifestyle Plan, and a Personalised Nutrition Program.

A few days after posting this, I was still struggling with a cold and after trying many conventional and unconventional methods to get better, and having them fall short, I was left wondering, was there something I was doing wrong? I didn’t think long before it came to me, really it’s quite a simple concept. Yes, all of the things I’ve been doing have been assisting me get better but the process has been slow, I decided to dive in and explore why…

If we have an accumulation of stress within out body and preoccupations in our mind, of course healing will be a slow process.

We also know this, it isn’t something new and at least for me, when I am reminded of it, the first thing I do is stop, breathe, and ask myself, is the stress I feel right now worth getting sick over?

100% of the time the answer is NO and if it’s not, it should be because taking care of yourself should always be a non negotiable.

In the moments when I realize my stress is rooting inside me, I tend to do 1 main thing to change my situation, this time was no exception. Now, it may seem counterproductive when I am sick to drop everything and head out on a spontaneous 4 day road trip without a destination, plans to rough it and sleep in the car, along with some couch surfing, but well I was confident that a de-stresser was a must. I put my work on the back burner momentarily, which did result in me being a week behind, but I knew that if I didn’t take time for myself then I wouldn’t be in any shape to complete my assignments well. 

I immediately felt much better after the first day of my trip, and no it wasn’t because I had a warm bed to sleep in or a nutritious meal in my stomach the night before, it was because I had begun to cut the stress. When you begin to eliminate the stress in your life, all of the other positive changes you are making will be able to fully work together, improving your body and mind. Using the supplements I take as an example, if I’m abusing my body with a lack of sleep, poor nutrition, and a half ass work out routine, no amount of nutritional supplements with set me 100% on track. Abuse your body and you create blockages; blockages in which energy can’t move through and blockages that can’t allow you to fully heal and reap the benefits of the positive changes your make in your life.

Sometimes we all need a gentle reminder of how much stress can manifest itself in our body and mind and how it can build up walls to you achieving your greatest desires.

My method my not work for everyone but it’s worth a shot; next time you can’t cut that pesky cold, ask yourself…is it the stress in my life that is making me sick and if so, Stop for a moment,  Breathe, and recognise that no good will come out of an accumulation of that stress. When you feel your stress levels rising, manifest a change that will bring them down. For me, I cut the stress by taking a small trip or exploring a new part of the city; this small change in my routine allows me to re set for a moment and gets be back on track.

What’s your way to de-stress? Share your comments down below, I would love to hear from you.