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salt-sass-and-lyrium · 5 years

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may i ask why you're becoming increasingly scared of the united states? if possible, can we also talk about the abortion law in Alabama (under friendly terms of course i don't want to victimize or target anyone)

I’m going to try and keep this short but know I won’t be able to because in reality the list is like this

and growing.

Here we go.

Note: This is all just off the top of my head, but I can provide sources for everything if needed

My state just banned abortions after 8 weeks, when most when don’t even know they’re pregnant. There’s been a decrease in resources available to pregnant women and children for ages and it’s not getting any better.

This is the same state that refused the medicaid expansion, so we’re extra fucked on health care

Remember the “legitimate rape” guy? Yeah, we elected him. He was one of ours.

Ferguson

Abortions are being banned before assault rifles.

It’s literally a serious debate as to whether or not minimum wage people deserve a livable wage.

We as a culture have just decided that school shootings are just ‘things that happen’ and ‘there’s nothing that can be done about them’.

A judge just ruled that the police at the Parkland shooting had no obligation to try and stop the shooting or protect the students.

Birth control is becoming more and more expensive and more and more scarce.

Planned Parenthoods and like institutions are being closed down nation wide for zero fucking reason, even in light of the fact that such closures lead to dramatic increases in STDs and unwanted pregnancies

The most common camp

My president is a racist, homophobic, reality TV show host who thinks windmills cause cancer. He quite literally has demonstrated he has no idea of how government or even money works. Oh, he’s also a proud sexual assaulter and adulterer.

My president has demonstrated time and time again, on about a daily basis, that he is not mentally sound or capable of doing the job, yet his own party refuses to do anything about it.

Since being in office, his policies and tariffs have fucked over the farming industry, and now other industries due to his fucking tariffs.

Said president put in place an EO that forced children to be separated from their families at the border for no legally justifiable reason.

This is still happening

We’ve since lost THOUSANDS of those children. Most of them will never be reunited with their families. And in many instances, young children who were reunited with their families often rejected them as they no longer recognized them. Don’t even get me started on the child trauma.

This was done as a tactic by the Republicans to blackmail the Democrats into funding the wall.

A majority of the country does not want a wall, border patrol included, but Trump is forcing it through anyway. Aside from being both useless and racist, it will cost tax payers billions an displace tons of American citizens.

Our healthcare system. Healthcare is horrific. A single hospital visit can easily put someone tens of thousands of dollars in debt. Many doctors refuse to see patients who do not have insurance, or who do not have ‘good enough’ insurance.

The most popular campaigns on sites like GoFundMe are for medical expenses. Frequently people have been dying because their campaigns fell short. Notably a young man died because he couldn’t afford insulin. He was $13 dollars short.

It is easier for me to purchase an assault rifle than for me to purchase and register a car.

I can buy guns at fucking Walmart

As an LGBTQ individual:

It’s still a debate as to whether or not I or people like me deserve basic human rights

My vice president supports conversion therapy. (He also calls his wife ‘Mother’ and no body seems willing to admit how weird that sounds)

There are still many active entities trying to repeal my right to marry whoever the fuck I want.

What transgender people have to go through. I’m just gonna leave it at that or we’ll be here all week.

As a woman:

Without insurance, my birth control, a 1 month supply, is $135.

Birth control is becoming increasingly more and more difficult to obtain, particularly for low income individuals.

Planned Parenthoods and like institutions are being shut down at an alarming rate, despite oodles of proof that this does not even remotely benefit the community, in fact, it harms it as there tends to be a massive spike in STDs

A man who raped a woman behind a dumpster got 6 months in prison but I’ve got family in jail for non violent weed charges.

It’s 2019 and people are still fervently rejecting the idea that women are equal and should be treated and paid equally.

The Georgia abortion ban

Rape culture

As a black woman:

Sandra Brown. Philando Castille. Mike Brown. Tamir Rice. Trayvon Martin. I’m going to stop naming names because I’m going to cry.

An unarmed black person getting gunned down by police is not even a rare occurrence. And it has almost never resulted in any real trouble for the police officer(s)

The fact that I’ve never touched a gun in my life but have had them pulled on me.

The fact that me and several of my friends took the subway with student passes. I was the only one stopped and interrogated because the officer refused to believe that I was a student. I have two degrees. All my friends were white, if that wasn’t obvious. I can’t count how many times I’ve been stopped and searched and publicly humiliated because I walked into a store and ‘totally must’ve stolen something.

Look at the incarceration

As a tax payer:

My government would rather spend money giving billionaires tax cuts then ensuring that children don’t go hungry

They would rather build a fucking wall that quite literally is going to do nothing to stop immigration than try and improve our infastructure

We spend more than the next 12 nations combined on our military for largely no reason at this point. We waste billions on technology that doesn’t even work.

We can’t provide free college for all but we can provide tax cuts and benefits to corporations that do not need them.

Measure after measure are being put in place to try and stop minorities from voting, notably in Georgia.

TL;DR: Given the way my country is headed, which is towards criminalizing my race, my sexuality, limiting the rights and resources of my gender and intentionally hindering advancement overall. Towards violence being the norm and children being short to death in kindergarten being nbd. I live in a country where the Vegas shooter who killed over 50 people and wounded hundreds more had headline articles run about how sweet of a man he was and how h was so generous he bought his grandmother a wheelchair but a literal child playing with a toy gun was called a criminal and demonized. I live in a country that does not value human life unless you are a heterosexual white Christian male. Or, more accurately, a wealthy, heterosexual white Christian male. Me just existing as I am is becoming more and more dangerous each day.

What specifically about the abortion law(s) would you like to talk about?

#abortion #america #racism #politics #us politics #trump #healthcare #sorry if that's not the most coherent i'm exhausted #Anonymous

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midlifewithavengeance · 5 years

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Can You FLOAT Your Way To Better Sleep?

The blog post Can You FLOAT Your Way To Better Sleep? is available on MWAV Blog

I had a patient in my office recently for an appointment, and she couldn’t wait to tell me about an experience she’d had. “I did my first float,” she said, her expression both excited and serene. She described the experience as nothing less than transformative. She’d been a little nervous at first, she said, but she found it surprisingly easy to relax, once she was floating in the pool of warm water, wrapped in silence and darkness. “It was the most amazing thing,” she confided. “I thought maybe I’d fallen asleep, but I was awake the whole time. My mind just went into a whole different place, somewhere so deeply peaceful. For once, I had no sense of time.” She went on to tell me she’d been trying to meditate for years, and floating brought her to what she felt was a meditative mindset she’d never been able to experience before. The calm and relaxation she felt after her float session stayed with her for some time. She had already booked her next appointment.

Float therapy has been around for decades, since the 1950s when scientists developed early flotation tanks. Since then, scientific inquiry into the effects and possible benefits of float therapy continued for many years without much notice from the broader scientific community or the public at large. But in recent years, interest in floating has really taken off. There’s been an uptick in scientific interest in and study of floating. And the general public is increasingly interested in the potential benefits of floating for mental and physical health. One way to tell? Float centers are popping up all across the country, places where people can schedule a float session like you’d book an appointment for a therapeutic massage.

With float therapy experiencing something of a breakthrough—and inspired by the conversation with my patient–now seems like the perfect time to take a look at floating, and how it may help improve sleep. I’ve been working as a scientific adviser to a company, True REST, that is working to make float therapy widely accessible. What I’ve learned about the potential benefits of floating for sleep—and the characteristics and benefits it shares with meditation, one of the most deeply sleep- and health-promoting practices—are really interesting and promising.

Ready to dive in?

What is floatation therapy?

Simply put, float therapy uses the act of floating in water, in a carefully controlled environment, to induce a deep state of relaxation. By significantly reducing the external presence of sensory information—that’s everything from sight, sound, and smell to touch, temperature, taste, sense of body position, and even sense of gravity—float therapy quiets activity in the central nervous system, and relaxes the body and mind.

In technical terms, floatation therapy is a form of what’s known as Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy, or REST. Floating dramatically limits the sources of external sensory stimulation for the mind and body to process. That spurs the brain and body to shift its attention away from outside stimuli, and opens up awareness of our internal states, mental and physical. Scientists have over years of study identified a broad range of therapeutic benefits of REST in treating mental and physical health problems, including anxiety disordersand post-traumatic stress disorder, ADHD, substance use disorder, insomniaand fibromyalgia.

The mental and physical state that can be achieved by floating is often compared, by both scientists and practitioners, to that of meditation. And as you’ll soon see, research investigating float therapy suggests it may deliver similar states of deep relaxation as those achieved by highly experienced meditation practitioners.

What are the health benefits?Scientific study suggests float therapy may be effective in relieving stress, reducing pain, alleviating anxiety and depression, enhancing cognitive performance creativity, boosting immune function—and yes, helping sleep. Like meditation, float therapy is a non-pharmacological intervention. (I wrote just recently about the latest FDA warnings about prescription sleep medication. While these medications can be useful in some cases, they’re not broadly best suited for widespread and long-term use. Natural, non-chemical therapies for sleep are critical agents in helping those of us with sleep problems rest better.)

How does floating work?

People who use floating speak of the sense of profound calm, focus and well being that accompanies the practice. How does floating in a pool of water lead people to a state of deep rest and refocusing?

The conditions for floating are created with specifically designed enclosures—sometimes tanks, pods, chambers, or pools. (Different float centers offer different types of structures for floating.) The float chamber is filled with water that’s heavily infused with Epsom salts. This intensely concentrated salt water serves a couple of important purposes. Highly concentrated salt water creates tremendous buoyancy, allowing the body to float, fully supported by the surrounding water, in conditions that mimic a near zero-gravity state. The heavily salt-infused water also contains high concentrations of magnesium. I’ll talk more about the potential benefits of magnesium in a moment.

Within the float chamber, the temperature of the air and water closely matches body temperature. Chambers are also light-proof and sound-proof. You lie on your back—floating without effort, thanks to that salty water. Float sessions typically last between 45-90 minutes.

As you might have gathered from my patient’s enthusiastic story of her experience, the experience of flotation can be, for many people, a profound one. Practitioners speak about the unprecedented relaxation and letting go physically that can occur. They also highlight the emotional and psychological effects, of leaving a float session feeling mentally renewed and refreshed, with a deep sense of serenity and peace. What’s transpiring in the brain and body to create such a sense of physical and mental transformation? Scientific research offers us some important clues.

How floating affects the body and mind

Though we’re still relatively early in scientific exploration and documentation of floating and its therapeutic benefits, there is a growing body of research that suggests the practice of float therapy creates a distinct series of physiological and psychological changes in the brain and body—changes that can benefit sleep, health, and daily performance. Here, I’ll highlight several those effects on the body. Keep in mind that we’ve still got a lot to learn about what floating does, and there may be more to come.

Floating can lower cortisol.Several studies have measured significant reductionsto cortisolin people after they’ve engaged in floating. Cortisol is a hormone with broad-reaching effects in the body. Cortisol is involved in regulating metabolism, and plays an important role in immune system functioning, in part by controlling inflammation. Maintaining healthy cortisol levels is key to protecting mental and physical health. Too often, cortisol levels run chronically high, thanks in large part to stress and poor sleep.

Cortisol is intricately connected to both stress and sleep. A stimulating, alerting hormone, cortisol—like other hormones—runs on a 24-hour bio clock in the body. Cortisol levels rise to their peak first thing in the morning, helping deliver us the alertness and energy we need to wake and start being active. While fluctuating throughout the day, cortisol gradually declines as evening approaches, reaching its lowest levels in the middle of the night. Elevated cortisol levels can interfere with sleep, particularly when cortisol remains high in the evenings. In turn, a lack of sleep can aggravate cortisol levels outside of a healthy range.

What else contributes to high cortisol? The hormone’s role in stress is one very powerful way cortisol levels can become chronically elevated. Cortisol is probably best-known as a stress hormone. That’s because it is a major player in the body’s fight or flight response. When faced with a stressor of any sort, our bodies respond with a sharp increase in cortisol. When stress is routine, cortisol remains high. That can interfere with our ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Think about the times you’ve been under stress, and how tough it can be to drift off. Even after you do, you’re likely to wake during the night. That is cortisol at work. High cortisol levelstypically go hand in hand with diminished levels of melatonin, a hormone that is essential for paving our way to sleep each night.

Too much cortisol doesn’t only contribute to sleep problems. It creates other health issues, including poorly regulated blood sugar, suppression of the immune system, weight gain, microbiome imbalance and gastrointestinal issues including irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic anxiety.

Floating can improve other markers of stress. Several studies show that exposure to floatation therapy can lead to reductions in other key physiological and psychological signs of stress and anxiety. Float therapy has been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce muscle pain and tension, improve fatigue and lower anxiety levels, while increasing positive mood, energy, and relaxation. For example, a 2018 study conducted by one of today’s leading scientific investigators of flotation therapy, Dr. Justin Feinstein, found significant reductions to blood pressure(an average of more than a 12-point drop in diastolic pressure) occurred in a group of participants during floating. At the same time, study participants experienced significant relief from muscle tension and mental anxiety. Dr. Feinstein, a neuropsychologist who is an assistant professor at Oklahoma’s University of Tulsa and a principal investigator at the Laureate Institute for Brain Research, is deeply involved in studying the therapeutic potential of floatation, specifically its value in treating mental health conditions including anxiety, addiction, eating disorders and other psychological conditions. These marked relaxation changes that are associated with floating that Dr. Feinstein and other scientists have measured are promising preliminary indicators of the potential float therapy has as a tool for treating mood disorders and also sleep disorders.

Floating can shift brain consciousness to a more relaxed (and creative) state.Several studies demonstrate how floatation therapy can move people into different, more relaxed states of consciousness, including the kind of deep relaxation where time perception is alteredand creativity is enhanced. Remember my patient who said she lost track of time while floating? That experience has been documented in scientific study. Recent analysis shows that the mind’s consciousness during floatingmay take on characteristics of stages 1 and 2 sleep. And other studies have shown that floating increases the presence of low frequency delta and theta brain waves, which are also present during sleep.

A shift into the state of deep relaxation where that allows time to slip away suggests some distinct changes to brain wave activity are happening during floating, likely similar to what happens in the brain during meditation. Studies have shown meditation alters brain activity, decreasing high-frequency beta waves and increasing low-frequency theta wave activity in different parts of the brain. Theta brain waves occur when we’re experiencing deep levels of relaxation, and also during the lighter stages of sleep. A waking brain that’s populated with theta waves is likely to be in a state of flow—that wandering, daydreaming, internally focused state of consciousness that is linked to creativity and to mental rejuvenation. (Beta waves, on the other hand, reflect a brain that is externally focused and task driven, responding to external stimuli, planning and meeting goals.)

Floating may provide benefits from magnesium.Magnesium is an essential macro-mineral we need in large quantities. It’s a mineral that keeps our muscles and nerves working well, that regulates mood and stabilizes sleep-wake cycles, that facilitates all sorts of enzyme-related biochemical reactions that keep our bodies functioning as they should. Our bodies don’t produce magnesium—we must take it in from outside sources. Magnesium deficiency is common; estimates suggest that most men and women in the United States aren’t getting enough magnesium. A lack of magnesium can:

interfere with energy production and the widespread work of the body’s enzymes

compromise muscle and nerve function and make us prone to physical pain

increase stress and anxiety

disrupt our ability to sleep

I’ve written in depth about how magnesium benefits sleep, and why it’s so important to maintain healthy magnesium levels for overall mental and physical health. When we’re lacking in magnesium (as many of us are), we’re likely to be more fatigued, more stressed, more tired and low in energy. There is ongoing scientific question and debate about how effectively magnesium can be absorbed into the body through the skin. Though it’s not yet clear whether floating can deliver magnesium as a nutrient to the body, magnesium found in float water is likely to contribute to the deep physical relaxation of the experience.

Next, we’ll take a closer look at what the latest science says about float therapy’s benefits for sleep and sleep-related conditions, from insomnia and anxiety disorders to chronic pain. I’ll also share some tips for getting the most out of floating, for sleep, mood, and health.

Sweet Dreams,

Michael J. Breus, PhD, DABSM

The Sleep Doctor

www.thesleepdoctor.com

The post Can You FLOAT Your Way To Better Sleep? appeared first on Your Guide to Better Sleep.

from Blog | Your Guide to Better Sleep http://thesleepdoctor.com/2019/05/21/can-you-float-your-way-to-better-sleep/

from https://midlifewithavengeance.com/can-you-float-your-way-to-better-sleep/

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baileymacias · 4 years

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Can Carrots Help You Grow Taller Surprising Unique Ideas

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#Can Carrots Help You Grow Taller Surprising Unique Ideas #Zinc Made Me Grow Taller

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i-am-obscuram · 5 years

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Mental Health: The Truth Behind Losing Fat Part 4

This is part 4 of the weight loss series. In part 1 we discussed that there’s no such thing as a “one size fits all” dietary program and an overview on the various factors play when it comes to weight-loss.

Part 2 addresses the frequently overlooked question of “Is it fat or inflammation?”Highlighting issues of allergies, intolerances, foods that cause inflammation, and how to diagnose them. Part 3 brings to light how important it is to be aware of what you are actually eating and how processed health foods are not really healthy.

*Disclaimer: Always, consult your medical professional, do not consider this as medical advice or a diagnosis! I am not an MD or licensed therapist and I am not aware of your specific needs or conditions, the information here is from the findings of my personal journey and research.

Can mental health, self perception and emotional well-being have an impact on our ability to lose weight and keep it off?

We are socially conditioned to believe that these aspects are disconnected; medical doctors spend years getting a degree to treat physical symptoms, they are not therapists that spend years to get a completely different degree to treat mental symptoms. However, there have been alternative therapies such as cranial sacral or B.E.S.T which have focused on highlighting the fact that our physical body with its issues or aliments, and consciousness or thoughts are interconnected. Both acknowledge and are designed to treat our whole being in its entirety. As mentioned in Part 1, the physiological process of chronic stress has a connection to inflammation commonly mistaken as fat, and or flooding our system with cortisol which triggers your body to retain the fuel reserves…which are fat. The interesting part about this is, that a portion of cortisol’s role is to reduce inflammation, which puts stress on the immune system. However, proinflammatory cytokines are also released in the body during certain types of stress that cause inflammation. Given our knowledge with the fact that chronic stress does damage, this means that your body becomes a battle field when its under stress. I can almost guarantee that the internal dialogue in your mind reflects that too, with judgments, or even self-loathing.

Studies are just beginning on this, and so far there’s been a lean towards yes, that mental health, self perception and emotional well-being can impact your body physically and that includes your ability to lose weight and keep it off.

What does this all mean for you, and what are some considerations to manage this lesser known issue inhibiting your weight loss goals? Read on to find out.

"“You wore him like a fat-suit.” This was probably the most odd yet insightful statement a friend could make; because it was true. "

After getting married in 2004 I gained about 20 lbs, which is a completely normal occurrence for any gender. I stayed around 150 lbs during most of my marriage, the only exception was due to pregnancy. Hindsight is 20/20 and had I done the introspective as to why I gained and retained 20 lbs, I would have spared myself years of pain. My marriage wasn’t a happy one, I used eating and alcohol (2 to 3 drinks a week) as tools to prevent a deeper connection and to cope, the fat was a protective layer physically and figuratively.

All of that extra weight dropped during the divorce in 2014. Part was due to anxiety, from a multitude of unfortunate surprises I was unprepared for, and another part was due to the struggles of survival which actually led me to experience the benefits of intermittent fasting. I realize we all react to these things in different ways. Whereas, when I’m anxious I don’t eat but others may turn to feasting on a sugary snack to fluff the dopamine receptors to get out of that state. Once the anxiety relented, through self work and therapy, I’ve still kept the weight off.

Going through that process brought me to these insights where I don’t use food to cope and I don’t drink alcohol anymore.

FOOD ADDICTIONS

Food addictions are very real and most notable is the sugar addiction as the brain responds, on the addiction level, to sugar much in the way that it does to narcotics. To completely cut off the addiction, do away with sugar for 2 to 3 weeks. This includes most fruits as well, with the exception of low sugar fruits such as avocados, lemons, cucumbers and summer squash. I personally relied on this website https://www.thecandidadiet.com/candida-cleanse/ for doing my candida cleanse as they have recipes a plethora of detailed information and more. For me to shake the sugar habit it took a systemic yeast infection with intense moodiness, thrush, yeast in the corner of my mouth and worse. While on the diet, the withdrawals were intense and lasted about 2 weeks. You may experience moodiness, strong sugar cravings, headaches, body aches and more. Afterwards you will feel mental clarity, have more energy, and your taste buds will dramatically shift to be more sensitive to sugar. I’ve found the best replacements for sugar are coconut sugar or syrup, dates, pure powdered stevia leaf (can be bitter), and monk fruit extract. I strongly suggest addressing the removal and reduction of sugar to lose weight, and of course, before a severe reaction occurs.

Food addictions can be be present in many forms, from releasing stress through your jaw by chewing crunchy foods such as potato or tortilla chips or the sensation of chewing, or movements associated. Begin noting when your cravings hit and address the questions in the worksheet below:

By answering those questions you can begin to form a picture of what’s going on and figure out ways to navigate them. For example, I’ve caught myself snacking endlessly when I’m stuck in front of a computer all day, it comes from boredom and wanting more activity. I’ve had to look at this behavior for what it was and then transitioned to drinking tea, usually caffeine free to up my fluid intake, get into a relaxed focused state, and retain added activity. I also segue between a standing desk and sitting when I can and there’s a consideration for a treadmill desk in my future.

FASTING AND MENTAL HEALTH

There is a strong correlation between what we eat and mental health, and mental health with weight gain. An interesting way to attain mental health benefits with that connection, is with intermittent fasting or dietary restrictions.

"Clinicians have found that fasting was frequently accompanied by an increased level of vigilance and a mood improvement, a subjective feeling of well-being, and sometimes of euphoria. Therapeutic fasting, following an established protocol, is safe and well tolerated." -- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0165178112008153

Further studies have also revealed benefits on preventing neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, protection against brain damage, and may heal nerve damage. Intermittent fasting is more normal for our bodies than eating 3 meals a day, which is a relatively new idea, and fasting in general can be found in most if not all cultures. Plus, this is another way to address food addiction. Intermittent fasting can look like skipping breakfast, skipping lunch, drinking water, herbal tea, and having an early dinner 3 to 4 hours before you go to bed, and no midnight snacking afterwards either! If you are experiencing food addiction it can be a tough to fast. On your first time doing this withdraw symptoms can be present in the form of intense feelings of hunger, fatigue, stomach pain, moodiness, etc. If you are hypoglycemic or have low blood pressure consult your doctor on safe ways to incorporate intermittent fasting or eating less often. If you find its really hard, and you are not dealing with hypoglycemia or low blood pressure issues, start by using natural appetite suppressors such as dark chocolate for sugar cravings, coffee without sugar added, a tea or herbal supplement, and gum.

Intermittent fasting did help me to initially loose the weight and I can credit it to helping me maintain mental clarity through really rough periods. As I began listening to my body, after removing addictive food and eating factors, I’ve found intermittent fasting happens naturally. Some days I just don’t feel hungry or any need to eat. On the other hand, if I’m not eating due to anxiety I will force myself to eat a little.

STOP PLACING SHAME ON YOUR WEIGHT

You can remove or stay away from people who would put you in the shame box, but you don’t need that from yourself; you cannot escape you. Even more interesting is to consider psychosomatic factors, or physical symptoms that are induced by our feelings.

If you notice the weight is not reducing after dietary changes, or you are stuck in the plateau phase of your weight loss journey, then it may be time to focus on your thought patterns. Try the worksheet below:

How you feel others see or judge you is a reflection of how you see and judge yourself. Their judgments would not be felt if you were not receptive to them or already feeling that way subconsciously about yourself. ”What needs improvement, what would make it [your body] more acceptable?” That question is a trap! One that we hold ourselves hostage to, it's the “if I just got rid of this birthmark, mole, wrinkle, or had bigger whatever….” The fact is if the response to that question came with a list of improvements, you are most likely criticizing yourself. With that criticism, you can see the subtle yet constant psychological patterns of internalized self harm. Begin to counter those criticisms with realistic action orientation, or setting goals that you can achieve. Start small, honor the progress, no matter how minimal it is, and incorporate some of the activities listed below daily or create your own.

Spend a spare moment to hug yourself feeling your warm embrace.

Take some time to feel your body in a safe, loving, luxuriating way in the shower or bath. If you use lotion feel the soft smoothness of your skin when applying, if the lotion is fragrant indulge in the scent that your body now radiates it.

Pick a different part of your body each day to admire. Even the parts you don’t want to admire. You need to come to accept your body, to fully accept yourself. This one is important, as doing this helps in honoring the improvements that occur, it creates the mindset for personal results that you can honestly reach and maintain. What that means is, if your body type is not Barbie doll, then you are not striving to be a Barbie doll. Aiming for the unrealistic creates an avenue for self sabotage due to the goal setting of trying to be something you are not.

Try doing those self love exercises once a week and track your progress! Feel free to reach out to me with the form at the end of the article, and let me know how it goes.

Tuning into YOUR BODY

Take the time to meditate and really feel your energy within your body. Any sensations? What thoughts or feelings came up? If you’ve never meditated take 2 minutes right now to sit, close your eyes and breathe deeply. Feel your heartbeat, without moving notice the sensation of the clothing you are wearing or the seat beneath you. If your thoughts are distracting close your eyes and try listening to this

Introducing a meditative practice can help you lose weight, but even better is the ability to understand your body by being fully present within it. There are various ways to meditate, some people use walking as a form of meditation. In this way, you can regard or use every day activities and make them meditative. For example, consider how you already workout in your normal daily routine and key into it with mindfulness. Every time you pick something up, you’re doing squats! Focus on proper form with squatting rather than bending over, or you can bend over but do it mindfully and use it to stretch! Give into it fully, feel what muscles are activated, can you enjoy and indulge in your movements and the sensations from your movements? This begins the process of tuning in and really listening to your body. One way this happens is your cravings will shift from addictions to what your body actually needs. If you are iron deficient you will crave meat, vitamin C deficiency will have you craving citrus fruits, orange juice, etc. I stopped drinking alcohol due to the fact that I’m now very aware of how it affects my ability to be precise and my mental clarity.

NEW HABITS NEW YOU

We are inundated with false notions of beauty, what it should look like, and we give up our true beauty in exchange for a lie. The truth is even J-Lo has significant cellulite! I know people in the graphics industry who would brush it out of music videos to enable that false sense of beauty! May that information give you a bit less stress so you can move into your unique weight loss goals and embrace your body in this journey.

Consider food with more of a sacred outlook, meaning connect with how its grown, start a kitchen herb garden, practice meditative eating by slowly and fully enjoying each bite. Have more admiration for the meal making process by cooking or uncooking if you only have time to make salads. Take into consideration and be proud or grateful of your progress every step of the way. I wish you the best on your weight loss journey! If you have any questions or want to connect with me directly, reach out by filling out the form below and let me know how the exercises included in this post went for you! -Brettney Perr

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courtneytincher · 5 years

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Study Links Fluoridated Water During Pregnancy to Lower IQs

Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/GettyAn influential medical journal published a study Monday that links fluoride consumption during pregnancy with lower childhood IQs—a finding that could undermine decades of public-health messaging, fire up conspiracy theorists, and alarm mothers-to-be.The research was expected to be so controversial that JAMA Pediatrics included an editor’s note saying the decision to publish it was not easy and that it was subjected to “additional scrutiny.”“It is the only editor’s note I’ve ever written,” Dimitri Christakis, editor in chief of JAMA Pediatrics and a pediatrician, told The Daily Beast. “There was concern on the journal’s editorial team about how this would play out in the public eye and what the public-health implications would be.”About three-fourths of the United States drinks fluoridated tap water—which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared one of the 10 greatest public-health achievements of the 20th century because it dramatically reduces tooth decay.A handful of earlier studies have suggested that prenatal fluoride exposure could affect neurodevelopment, but many experts considered those to be substandard. The new study, vetted by the premier medical publisher in the U.S., is seen as more rigorous.“When we started in this field, we were told that fluoride is safe and effective in pregnancy,” said study co-author Christine Till of York University in Toronto. “But when we looked for the evidence to suggest that it’s safe, we didn’t find any studies done on pregnant women.”They recruited 512 pregnant women from six Canadian cities and measured their exposure several ways: analyzing the amount of fluoride in their urine; looking at how much tap water and tea they drank; and comparing the fluoride concentration in the community drinking water.Then, when the women’s children were 3 or 4, the researchers gave them IQ tests and crunched the numbers to see if they could find any trends.“We saw an association between prenatal fluoride exposure and lower IQ scores in children,” study author Rivky Green said.Specifically, they found a 1 mg per liter increase in concentration of fluoride in urine was associated with a 4.5 point decrease in IQ among boys, though not girls. Another translation: The boys of mothers with the most fluoride in the urine had IQs about 3 points lower than the boys of mothers with the least amount.When the researchers measured fluoride exposure by examining the women’s fluid intake, they found lower IQs in both boys and girls: A 1 mg increase per day was associated with a 3.7-point IQ deficit among both genders.The results are significant enough to warrant a change in behavior, Green said. “What we recommend is lowering fluoride ingestion during pregnancy,” she said.Before publication, the study was subjected to two statistical reviews, with the researchers combing through the data to make sure that the results were not skewed by the mothers’ education, income levels, or other factors.The findings were astonishing to JAMA editors, who had been told throughout their medical training that fluoridation was completely safe and that opponents were wingnuts relying on “junk science.”“When I first saw this title, my initial inclination was ‘What the hell?’” Christakis said on a JAMA podcast. “For me, before there were anti-vaxxers, there were sort of anti-fluoriders.”In fact, fluoride has been a boogeyman in conspiracy circles for decades. When water fluoridation became widespread in the U.S. in the 1950s, some claimed it was a Soviet plot to physically and mentally weaken Americans. The far-right John Birch Society, among others, accused the U.S. government using fluoride to usher in socialism—a conspiracy theory famously satirized in Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 film Doctor Strangelove.Anti-Fluoriders Are The OG Anti-VaxxersSome modern conspiracy theorists have claimed fluoridated water is a form of mind control, while others falsely link it to Adolf Hitler. Some allege a corporate conspiracy: They think the dentistry industry or food companies are fluoridating water for their own purposes.Others still claim fluoridated water causes illness ranging from thyroid dysfunction to cancer. Infowars founder Alex Jones has frequently railed against fluoride in hyperbolic terms, and his site sells anti-fluoride products.Arguments that the government is medicating people against their will has had an impact. Over the past five years, dozens of U.S. cities have voted to remove fluoride from their drinking water, much to the dismay of federal officials who say the criticism is based on bunk.According to the CDC, a pile of studies show fluoridated water reduces cavities by 25 percent in children and adults, helps young children develop strong permanent teeth, and protects tooth enamel in grownups.It’s all but certain that anti-fluoride activists, no matter how outlandish their ideas, will seize on the new study results as proof they were right all along. The findings also pose a conundrum for health-care providers and their pregnant patients.“The effects of this study are comparable to the effects of lead, and if these findings are true there should be as much concern about prenatal fluoride exposure,” Christakis told The Daily Beast.The CDC declined to discuss the study, saying it does not comment on outside research. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which recommends that pregnant women use fluoridated toothpaste and mouth rinses, isn’t making any changes for now.“We wouldn’t change our guidelines without undertaking our thorough clinical-review process,” ACOG spokeswoman Kate Connors said.Sophia Lubin, an OB-GYN in Brooklyn, New York, said she’s never had a patient ask her about fluoridated water, but expects she will be questioned about it now.“As an obstetrician, you always have to think about two people—the mother and the baby,” she said. ”And oral health is important for mothers.”She anticipates telling women that if they are truly concerned, they can switch to bottled water during pregnancy. But she doesn’t think, at this point, that she will tell patients they should not drink from the tap.One part of the study that struck her was how much fluoride is in black tea, which soaks it up from soil. She said she is more likely to tell patients to cut back on tea than on water, since it’s important they stay hydrated.“This left me with a lot more questions than answers,” Lubin said.Linda Murray, senior vice president of BabyCenter, the online pregnancy hub, said concerns about fluoride will join an already long list of potential danger zones for expectant mothers. “It’s an anxious time for women as it is. Every pregnant woman wants to do everything she can do to have a healthy baby, and they’re hyper-aware,” she said.Pregnant women are already told to avoid too much coffee, raw sushi, fish high in mercury, deli meats, alcohol. But water is in a league of its own.“You can live without your California roll, but this is an everyday thing, and we tell pregnant people to stay hydrated,” Murray said.She suggested that until there is a broad consensus about how to respond to the study, women should focus on the things they can do to improve pregnancy outcomes: seeing a health-care provider early on, taking prenatal vitamins, eating healthy—and worrying less.“Stress and anxiety are not healthy for pregnancy,” she said.Meet The Putin-Loving Congressman Who’s Worried About Fluoride In Our Drinking WaterThe study authors noted a number of limitations, the most significant of which is that they did not assess how much fluoride the children were exposed to after birth.In an accompanying analysis, Harvard Professor David Bellinger said “high-quality epidemiological studies” are needed, but added: “The hypothesis that fluoride is a neurodevelopmental toxicant must now be given serious consideration.”Those kinds of studies take years, though—which doesn’t help millions of parents-to-be who looking for advice now.“The question that needs to be asked to every pediatrician, scientist, and epidemiologist is what they’re going to tell pregnant women,” said Christakis, who says he will advise his pregnant friends and family to avoid fluoridated water.“We can’t tell them to wait years for another study. They have to decide what to tell their patients now.”Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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a425app · 5 years

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Interview 08

How are you? I am okay, have good and bad days, but today is a good day.

What is your name? Liz Smith

What is your age? 36 What gender do you identify as? Female

What are the things that have been on your mind today? Family and friends, the future, my health.

What's been the most enjoyable part of you of your day so far? Playing with my puppy. She always makes my life more enjoyable.

Is there something you’re looking forward too? My boyfriend visiting from California.

What is the most important thing that matters to you at the moment? My health both mental and physical.

Do you work? If so how many hours a week and what sort of job is it? / do you work on site or at home (or alternate location) Yes, I work roughly 30 hours a week in an office for a small business.

What are some things you like to do on the weekends? Hang out with family and friends, take photos, driving and exploring.

Is there something you do on the weekend that you don't do during the week? Stay up late and then sleep in.

What is your living situation like? I live alone with my dog and cat.

is your living space organized to help you accomplish your tasks or goals, whatever they may be? • If so, what does that look like to you?

• If not do you wish it was? Yes, I need things to be tidy and organized, otherwise I feel disorganized mentally. It may not be as tidy as others would like, but for me, as long as it is tidy and has a place, I am content.

What are some of your goals for your daily life? To live as healthy as I can to avoid any health issues that I have experienced in the past, to eat healthier than I have, get out and walk at least once a day, and accomplish work tasks for that day.

What are some of your goals in general?

• To be better than I was yesterday.

• To love and accept others and avoid judging.

• To become a homeowner, do what I need to do to get my financial status in order for this goal.

• To improve my photography skills, perhaps start a business.

What kinds of chores did you do during childhood/teenage years? Dishes, laundry, vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, bathrooms, organizing, yard work, and taking care of the cat.

Would you say you actively seek out new things to try? Yes, I am always interested in new things, whether it is food or an activity, I am willing to try.

What are some things that make you feel proud of yourself?

• Having served in the Navy for 5 years.

• My photography, taking photos for others, sharing my talent, and teaching.

• Strength I’ve gained from a difficult childhood and continued family issues.

What activities give you the most satisfaction?

• Taking photos.

• Supporting and hanging out with friends.

What kinds of things do you to relieve stress?

• Breath!!!

• Take time for myself, step away from the stress and focusing on ways to reduce/process stress.

• Playing with my puppy.

• Going for a walk.

• Taking photos.

What is something you wish you had more time to do? I wish I had more time and money to travel, visit friends in a different state.

What kinds of things take up most of your time? Working and my health issues.

How do you feel after you have completed a task. I feel accomplished and ready for the next one.

How do you reward yourself? With a break, a nap, a delicious snack, or watch a tv show I like.

How often do you successfully use these rewards to motivate yourself? Daily, if not weekly.

How much time do you take just for yourself? Probably 3-4 hours a day, but I try to take me time as often as I can.

What are the most frustrating aspects of your daily activities/ day?

• When work gets stressful or overwhelming.

• When I am having a rough day with my health and I can’t get things done.

• When I have plans, but my health doesn’t allow me to accomplish these plans.

What time of day do you tend to do your work/chores? Middle of the day and evening.

Do you feel like you have a good balance between work and personal life? Yes.

How consistent is your schedule? Not as consistent as I would like it to be.

Can you describe a typical day for you from the time you wake up to the time you go to bed? I usually wake up around 8, get to work by 10am, work until my work is done 5-8pm, take breaks at work to take my puppy for a walk, eat dinner, go to bed by midnight or 1am at the latest.

What time of day do you feel the most alert/happy? Night time, I am very much a night owl.

What do you think having a routine means? Having a routing is a great way to stay organized and on task for the things you need to get done that day.

Do you have a daily/weekly routine(s) If so, What are some of your daily/weekly routines? Daily routines include working, taking my puppy for a walk, living as healthy as I can.

Weekly tasks include accomplishing tasks needed for that week, and communicating with family and friends, grocery shopping, paying bills.

What tools do you use to plan or remind yourself of activities or a routine if any? I use a calendar on my phone, excel spreadsheet for finances, make lists if I think of something I need to do.

Do you think having a daily routine would/does benefit you? Why or why not? Yes, otherwise I feel disorganized and chaotic.

Have you done any research / read articles about having a routine? A little bit, but nothing recently.

How often would you say you search for things involving lifestyle: blogs, articles, magazines etc. A few times a week, depending on what’s going on in my life.

Would you be interesting in learning how to best establish and stick to a routine?

• What would that look like to you? How to stay on task, focused, and accomplish tasks even when I deal with health issues.

Do you use technology for planning and/or reminders? If so, what are your favorite tools/programs?

• Why are those your favorite? Calendar on my phone and my e-mail.

What are some of your favorite apps to use? Why those? How do you use them? How often do you use them? Calendar, e-mail, and Quickmemo on my phone. I’ve used other apps and these are the best I’ve found.

If you could make an app for keeping track of a routine what would be some of the features you would want? Reminders that aren’t too annoying, but at the same time help you stay focused, and don’t go away until you finish them.

Have you ever failed to stick to a routine? If so, why do you think that was? Health issues have derailed my routine.

Do you have any medical conditions that you think might affect your ability to stick to a regular schedule or routine? Yes, I have an auto-immune disease where I have good and bad days, symptoms can come and go unexpectedly, but stress can make things worse. I am currently on an immune suppressant medication to keep me in remission. Being on an immune suppressant is difficult to deal with because I have to try my best to avoid getting sick/infections, etc. If I do get sick, it is harder to deal with than most people, and it takes longer for me to recover.

Do you think your profession has an impact on your routine? No, in fact my profession and job has helped. My boss has worked with me when I have good and bad days, I just need to stay in contact with work and if for some reason I can’t come to work, I just need to let them know. Then as long as I accomplish my tasks, whether at work or from home, my boss is happy with my work. It helps significantly with my stress because I don’t have to worry about missing a day here or there.

To what degree do you think other people impact your routine? I tend to surround myself with people who understand my health situation and are supportive. I can’t have toxic, selfish, dramatic, stressful people in my life because they tend to drag me down and cause unneeded stress.

Would you be more likely to do something if someone was holding you accountable?

• If so what does that accountability look like? Yes, because it is a task that is needed for someone else, not myself and I tend to put others before myself. I also seek acceptance from others, so I push myself to gain that, sometimes in an unhealthy way. But those are underlying mental issues I have dealt with my whole life and I am trying to learn healthy ways to process and resolve these issues.

If we came back in 5 years to have this conversation again, what would you like to be different? I would hope my life and my daily/weekly routine would be more organized, accomplished, and my health wouldn’t be as large of a factor as it is now.

Is there anything I’ve missed that you would like to tell me? I can’t think of anything else, but if you need further clarification on anything, let me know.

Any questions?

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gethealthy18-blog · 6 years

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Why I Started a Weekly Digital Day Off

New Post has been published on http://healingawerness.com/news/why-i-started-a-weekly-digital-day-off/

Why I Started a Weekly Digital Day Off

I remember seeing a series of photos of people in what should have been some of the most important moments of their lives (like wedding days, holding new babies, etc.). Instead, they were all on their phones. Not enjoying the moment, not talking to each other, but looking at phones.

From a less dramatic perspective, I’ve also been guilty of looking at my phone during moments that should be some of the most important in my own life: meals with my family, time with my children, time with my husband.

This inspired me to share something I’ve been doing for a while that has really helped bring some balance to my life: a weekly digital day off from all technology.

Digital Day Off? But Why?

I get it… technology is an incredible thing. We live in a world with more information available at our fingertips than was available to all of human civilization not long ago. In fact, Google CEO Eric Schmidt has been quoted as saying that every two days, we collectively create as much information as has been created from the dawn of civilization until 2003.

This is an incredible benefit from the perspective of societal advancement, but it can also be a curse.

While our social circles were once limited to a small group of people who were geographically close to us, we now have the ability to connect with friends and family around the world, at all times. We have constant news about new babies just born to our friends, what a family member ate for dinner, or the ever-mysterious status updates that leave us wondering about the emotional state of someone we love.

In just one generation, we’ve adapted to taking in an enormous digital diet every day. How it affects us is a big question mark and of the one reasons I chose to make digital detox one of the steps in my book The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Here’s how the research is stacking up…

Mental Changes From Technology

We digitally “connect” much more, but according to many sources we are actually connecting on a human level much less.

Aside from the fact that I don’t want my children to remember me as always checking my phone, new research is showing that our constant use of electronics is actually changing us, mentally and physically.

This article reports:

Results from the few studies that have been done are troubling. Social media appears to promote narcissism, smartphones could be causing insomnia, and screens seem to be making our kids less empathetic.

It goes on to say that additionally, with over 4 trillion Google searches per day, new research suggests that “the Google Effect” is actually changing the way we think and that we are actually outsourcing our memories to the Internet:

Neuroimaging of frequent Internet users shows twice as much activity in the short term memory as sporadic users during online tasks. Basically, our brain is learning to disregard information found online, and this connection becomes stronger every time we experience it. So the more we use Google, the less likely we are to retain what we see.

All this to say that technology is quite literally changing our brains.

In fact, the book Mind Change argues that technology poses a threat to the very way our brains work and adapt. The author cites studies that show that technology use, especially in children, creates dopamine responses similar to drugs or junk food, shortens attention span, reduces empathy and creates many other problems.

As a mom, this is especially concerning, as my children are still developing these and many other capabilities and it makes me wonder about the long-term affects on their entire generation. This is one of the reasons my husband and I have been pretty careful to limit our children’s tech exposure, especially at young ages, and part of the reason that Steve Jobs didn’t let his children use iPads.

Physical Changes from Technology

What about changes to the body?

Aside from the mental aspects, constant exposure to technology may be actually physically changing us as well. Many phones, TVs and computers emit blue light, which we now understand can affect our normal circadian rhythms and reduce proper sleep hormone production.

This is why our children don’t have nightlights and we limit their exposure to blue light devices after dark. It is also why I wear orange sunglasses and run programs like f.lux when using my computer after dark.

Technology use has even led to new conditions that exist entirely because of computer, video game or TV use:

e-Thrombosis: a form of deep vein thrombosis that results from long-time sedentary behavior of computer uses

Nintendoitis: a condition in the tendon of the thumb from video game use

Computer Vison Syndrome: Eye fatigue from looking at computers for long periods of time

Other research suggests that technology use may be changing our posture, contributing to obesity and sleep problems, and leading to other problems as well.

The Good News

Again, technology isn’t bad, but our overuse of it might be. The good news is that it appears that even short breaks from technology can have a positive effect.

In 2015, researchers took a group of 35 people that used the internet often (CEOs and entrepreneurs) into the desert in Morocco to study if their behavior would change with and without technology use.

After only a couple of days without their smartphones, researchers saw these people exhibit better memory, relationships, conversation, and changes in perspective.

From a physical perspective, they also saw better posture, sleep and memory. All from just three days total!

What I’m Doing to Create Balance

Technology isn’t going anywhere. In fact, most adolescents consider their phones a “need” and put them in the same category with air and water. In fact, most said they would rather lose their pinky finger or their car than their phone! (Just let that sink in…)

Especially considering the attachment that younger generations have toward technology (and that many adults have as well), I’m finding that balance and an occasional digital day off are helpful for our family.

Technology is a tremendous asset in so many ways, but rather than letting it control our family, I’ve been putting measures in place so that we are in control.

Despite the fact that my blog and many aspects of my work are online, I’ve noticed that my digital day off has had only a positive effect on my life and my work/life balance.

My Digital Day(s) Off

As I mentioned, we already severely limit screen time for our children, but I’ve recently started implementing limits for myself too. As a blogger, it is all too easy to check Instagram while eating dinner or listen to a podcast while cleaning the house with my kids, but my family deserves better than that.

I decided to implement for myself 2 days a week that are a “digital detox” or digital day off. From the studies I saw, even just a couple of days away from digital technology were enough to create better memory, increase creativity and improve sleep.

During these days, I won’t use my computer or phone with the exception of phone calls to or from family members or friends.

The first couple of times I did this, I found that I was antsy and kept having the impulse to check my phone. I made an effort to instead read or play a game with my kids, or pick up a new book. Now, I savor my time away from my phone and computer and look forward to them.

Currently, my digital day off is officially on Friday (which is now our designated field trip day) and one other day of the week depending on schedule. I also won’t check or answer my phone during family time, school time, or meals, or while spending time with someone in person.

I’ve greatly enjoyed my digital time off, but more importantly, I want to make sure that my children see an example of uninterrupted family time and balance in daily life, as these become elusive in a fast-paced, high-tech world.

From a blogging perspective, this time off has increased my creativity and made me much more productive.

Other Ways to Take A Break From Tech

Don’t always use the camera on your phone– For me, the biggest temptation of using my phone is often to take pictures to document something my children are doing. As quickly as they are growing and changing at their ages, I sometimes wish I could hold each moment in a time capsule and pictures seem the closest I can get to doing this. The thing I realized is that while I have many memories stored on my phone, I hardly ever look at them except when I make our yearly photo books. Rather than turn to the phone, I’m trying to get better at soaking up memories vividly in my mind so I’ll always have them to look back on, with or without my phone.

Make a conscious effort to fill the time in a meaningful way– Just turning off the tech won’t do much if you spend the time stressed or putting out rhetorical fires. Make a plan for phone and computer free time so that you can get the most out of it.

Go on a retreat sans phone or computer– I’m able to do this more as my children get older. The benefits are obvious, but getting away without any technology use is what the study showed had the most rapid effect. Taking even just 2-3 days away, preferably in nature and with other people, is a great way to undo some digital damage.

Tell important people– To reduce stress, I let people that might need to text or email me for information know about my digital day off so that they won’t get worried or think I am ignoring them. These select people also have the ability to call me in emergencies, and I’m usually spending the day with most of them anyway.

Schedule it each night– Since blue light can be most disruptive to sleep patterns, consider starting digital time off each night. Whenever possible, I love to put down the phone and computer when I start preparing dinner for our family and not pick it up until the next morning. Not perfect at this by any means, but working on it.

Once or twice a day only– My goal is to only check email, social media, etc. once a day. I’m still working on putting systems in place so that I can accomplish this, but this is my ultimate plan. Inspired by a friend, I’m working on creating auto responders for my emails that alert people that I have received their emails but only check once a day at a certain time.

Finding Balance in the Digital World

Balance is always a moving target and obviously the “right” answer here varies and depends on multiple factors. Each family has a unique set of factors to take into account.

This is what has worked well for me, and I’m sure it will change over the years as technology changes (at warp speed) and as my kids get older. Still, it’s worth the effort to figure out the best ways to use technology in our homes… rather than letting it use us.

[embedded content]

How do you balance the benefits and drawbacks of technology? Do you have a digital day off?

Sources

https://news.umich.edu/you-re-so-vain-u-m-study-links-social-media-and-narcissism/

https://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/09/for-a-restful-night-make-your-smartphone-sleep-on-the-couch/

https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/kids/uk-psychiatrist-believes-the-high-rates-of-technology-use-are-causing-kids-to-show-signs-of-autism/news-story/825d263047a8fb5d854f238e4ca5b804

https://www.netaddictionrecovery.com/the-problem/health-conditionsassociated-with-problematic-use/391-physical-conditions-associated-with-problematic-technology-use.html

Source: https://wellnessmama.com/60497/digital-day-off/

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carltun · 6 years

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Start Your Success Daily Morning Routines

As stated before in my previous post WAKE UP:

Tim Ferris discovered that one of the most common factors amongst the people he interviewed for his book Tools of Titans (where he compiles the tactics, routines, and habits of billionaires, icons, and world-class performers) is that they all implement some form of morning routine.

I told you how to wake up now I'm going to help you figure out what to do now that you're awake.

You want to have a routine that you can see yourself easily completing every morning.

Set the bar low so that you can successfully win each morning. If you win the morning, then that can catapult you into winning the day. The first 30-90 minutes of your day, depending on how intricate your routine or lack thereof, can either improve or handicap the rest of your day. These small things, done daily, can change your life.

"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies." -- Mother Teresa "Success in life is founded upon attention to the small things rather than to the large things; to the every day things nearest to us rather than to the things that are remote and uncommon." -- Booker T. Washington "Great things are done by a series of small things brought together." -- Vincent Van Gogh

I will share detailing my own morning routine and share two routines that I used as inspiration. I suggest emulating one of these routines or one that you may research after reading this, to begin with. This will allow you to adjust to having a routine. After you are accustomed, then I suggest customizing and combining things to fit your personal lifestyle.

My Daily Morning Routine

Initial Silence

When I First Wake Up in the morning I start with what I call my "first silence." Basically, I don't touch my phone, I lay and think through everything running through my mind when I first wake up.

Respond to Texts, Say Good Morning, NOTHING ELSE

I try to limit my initial phone use to only sending a few first texts so that I don't get dragged into mindlessly scrolling through all my apps and end up losing an hour of my day.

Meditation

Meditation! I thought this was all mumbo jumbo but... This right here has gotten me going and inspired me to start every day with purpose. This is of like my second silence, a more active one. I initially started with guided meditation through the app Headspace and used it until it the 10-day trial was up, after that, it is like $100 a year... I'm not ready for that commitment. So I went on and found Insight Timer which has endless free guided meditations to use, I usually listen to Morning Ritual by Jason McGrice. Taking time to breathe and relax is really great for clearing your mind and focus for the day.

Affirmations

I stand in the mirror and say my affirmations aloud while emotionally connecting with every word I say. I can honestly say by having these thoughts in my mind has seemed to subconsciously draw me towards the person I want to become.

5 Minute Journal

I fill out the 5-Minute Journal through its app. Initially, I started in my journal with my "Daily 3s" that I was posting. I found that I was either censoring or worrying about what people saw that I wrote so I decided to keep them personal in order to be more open with my personal thoughts. This is also where I begin planning what I want to get done for the day.

Read 20 Pages

I have a personal goal of reading 10 books this summer (I've gotten 8/10 down!) so I try to read at least 20 pages a day. Reading personal development or philosophy books in the morning and throughout has completely transformed my thinking and behavior. You become what you surround yourself with.

This is my customized morning ritual which has been derived from these two examples below. I will explain in detail with my takeaways from them.

5 MORNING RITUALS THAT HELP ME WIN THE DAY

by Tim Ferris “Tools of Titans”

1. Make Your Bed (<3 minutes)

Legendary Naval Admiral William McRaven, who has commanded at every level within the Special Operations community, including acting as head of Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) during the Osama bin Laden raid. From his University of Texas at Austin commencement speech:

“If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.”

2. Meditate (10 to 20 minutes)

3. Do 5 to 10 Reps of Something (<1 minute)

“The 5 to 10 reps here are not a workout. They are intended to “state prime” and wake me up. Getting into my body, even for 30 seconds, has a dramatic effect on my mood and quiets mental chatter.”

4. [Prepare a cup of coffee or tea] (2 to 3 minutes)

To fight grogginess

5. Morning Pages or 5-Minute Journal (5 to 10 minutes)

Morning pages don’t need to solve your problems. They simply need to get them out of your head, where they’ll otherwise bounce around all day like a bullet ricocheting inside your skull.

It may be the most important aspect of trapping thought on paper (i.e., writing) you’ll ever encounter. Even if you consider yourself a terrible writer, writing can be viewed as a tool. There are huge benefits to writing, even if no one—yourself included—ever reads what you write. In other words, the process matters more than the product.

An example of his Morning Page:

SUNDAY, DEC. 28, NEW YORK Woke up at 7:30 a.m., before everyone else. Feels great. It’s a Sunday, so I feel I can take it slow, which is probably the reason it feels great. Why should Monday or Tuesday be any different? There are still people waiting regardless. Let them wait. It’s funny how we work and aim and strive to get to a point where people wait for us, not the other way around. Cue Get Shorty! And yet, when we arrive at this vaunted point, the masses of people (often rightly) incessantly knocking on the door, one after another, causes far more stress than when you were a mere peon (sp)! [I was unsure of spelling.] Is it because of the 100x more inbound, which decreases a feeling of self-directed free will? A feeling that you’re constantly choosing from someone else’s buffet instead of cooking your own food? Or is it because you *feel* you must be defensive and protect what you have: time, money, relationships, space, etc.? For someone who’s “won” through a lifetime of offense, of attacking, playing the defensive game conflicts with the core of who they are.

The 5-Minute Journal is simplicity itself and hits a lot of birds with one stone: 5 minutes in the morning of answering a few prompts, and then 5 minutes in the evening doing the same. Each prompt has three lines for three answers.

“To be answered in the morning: I am grateful for . . . 1. __________ 2. __________ 3. __________ What would make today great? 1. __________ 2. __________ 3. __________ Daily affirmations. I am . . . 1. __________ 2. __________ 3. __________ To be filled in at night: 3 amazing things that happened today . . . 1. __________ 2. __________ 3. __________ How could I have made today better? 1. __________ 2. __________ 3. __________”

The Life S.A.V.E.R.S.: 6 Practices Guaranteed To Save You From A Life of Unfulfilled Potential

by Hal Elrod "The Miracle Morning"

The Life S.A.V.E.R.S are 6 powerful, proven personal development practices that you can use to gain access to the powerful forces within you that will enable you to alter, change, or transform any area of your life.

The acronym stands for:

Silence

Affirmations

Visualization

Exercise

Reading

Scribing

Silence

Start every morning with a period of purposeful silence

Examples:

Meditation

Prayer

Reflection

Deep Breathing

Gratitude

Don’t stay in bed while doing this, preferably leave your bedroom. This deters you from falling back asleep.

Affirmations

We must stop programming ourselves for a life of mediocrity by focusing on what we're doing wrong, being too hard on ourselves when we make mistakes, and cause ourselves to feel guilty, inadequate, and undeserving of the success we really want.

You can use affirmations to start programming yourself to be confident and successful in everything you do, simply by repeatedly telling yourself who you want to be, what you want to accomplish and how you are going to accomplish it.

Tips:

In order for affirmations to be effective, it is important that you tap into your emotions while you read them

Stand tall while reading them

ALWAYS UPDATE

Be consistent

Visualization

The practice of seeking to generate positive results in your outer world by using your imagination to create mental pictures of specific behaviors and outcomes occurring in your life.

Many highly successful individuals, including celebrities, have advocated the use of visualization, claiming that it's played a significant role in their success. Such stars include Bill Gates, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Anthony Robbins, Tiger Woods, Will Smith, Jim Carey, and Oprah.

Many people don't feel comfortable visualizing success and are even scared to succeed. Some people may experience resistance in this area. Some may even feel guilty that they will leave the other 95% behind when they become successful.

The greatest gift we can give to the people we love is to live to our full potential. What does that look like for you? What do you really want? Forget about logic, limits, and being practical. If you could have anything you wanted, do anything you wanted, and be anything you wanted—what would you have? What would you do? What would you be?

Visualizing your goals and dreams is believed by some experts to attract your visions into your life

Exercise

Morning exercise significantly boosts your energy, enhances your health, improves self-confidence and emotional well being, and enables you to think better and concentrate longer

Reading

The key is to learn from the experts—those who have already done what you want to do. Don't reinvent the wheel. The fastest way to achieve everything you want is to model successful people who have already achieved it.

With an almost infinite amount of books available on every topic, there are no limits to the knowledge you can gain through daily reading

Even if you only read 10 pages a day that will become 3650 pages a year which is around 18 books that consist of 200 pages

If you read 18 books on personal development in the next 12 months do you think that you would be more knowledgeable, capable and confident?

Scribing (Writing)

Journaling

My favorite form of Scribing is journaling, which I do for 5-10 minutes during my Miracle Morning. By getting your thoughts out of your head and putting them in writing, you gain valuable insights you'd otherwise never see. The Scribing element of your Miracle Morning enables you to document your insights, ideas, breakthroughs, realizations, successes, and lessons learned, as well as any areas of opportunity, personal growth, or improvement.

Benefits of keeping a journal:

Gain Clarity - The process of writing something down forces us to think through it enough to understand it. Journaling will give you more clarity, allow you to brainstorm, and help you work through problems.

Capture Ideas - Journaling helps you not only expand your ideas but also prevents you from losing the important ideas that you may want to act on in the future.

Review Lessons - It enables you to review all of the lessons you've learned.

Acknowledge Your Progress - It's wonderful to go back and re-read your journal entries from a year ago and see how much progress you've made. It's one of the most empowering, confidence-inspiring and enjoyable experiences. It can't really be duplicated any other way.

Hopefully, you were able to pull some valuable information from this post.

Feel free to comment on this post as well as message me on instagram: @carltun

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