Tag Archive for: Women’s Wellness

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Best Stress Management Techniques

stress

It is hard to cope with stressful situations, especially when they happen on a regular basis. Over the long term, stress can have devastating impacts to one’s overall health. This can in turn lead to heart disease, unhealthy levels of cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Finding ways that you can deal with stress so that it doesn’t knock you down is a smart, proactive step towards overall management of both your mental and physical wellbeing.

The tips that are offered below require some practice and dedication but if you stick with it, before long you will get the hang of it. Eventually, you will be enjoying a much more calm and peaceful daily life.

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Four Suggestions For A Stress-Free Christmas

stress-free christmas Karen Spencer it can be different out of the woods wellness york region

The Christmas season is a time of seemingly endless gatherings with family and friends, celebrations at the office, and entertaining at home.  All of this anticipation can be exhilarating; however it can also be anxiety provoking due to the unrealistic expectation to create the “best Christmas ever.” The most wonderful time of the year can easily turn into the most exhausting time of the year. And this can lead to January burn out, regret and financial burden. I have come to appreciate how important planning and prioritizing is to reduce the probability of having a Christmas that is not all that jolly and actually a bit melancholy.

Here are some of my best suggestions for a stress free Christmas:

Set Realistic Expectations

The sooner you understand that the holidays don’t have to be perfect, the better. There is no perfect Christmas. That concept is reserved for the Hallmark TV  Channel only. Families change and grow and so traditions come and go. Choose the one or two celebrations that are meaningful enough to hold onto. Then allow space to create new traditions that serve your family as it is in the present.

Plan Ahead

As with all tasks, if you plan ahead the chances of success are higher than if you wing it. Christmas is no exception. Set aside specific days for activities like shopping, baking, visiting, decorating and so on. That will prevent last minute scrambling. Also, by having a plan you are more apt to say no to activities that would leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed.

Set a budget and stick to it!

Before you spend any money on the holidays, decide how much you can afford to spend and then portion that amount between all of the necessities such as gifts, food, entertaining, travel, etc. There is nothing more anxiety-provoking than the January credit card statements if December was managed poorly. Preplanning your spending and refusing to buy into the message: happiness is a mountain of presents, are necessary defences. Realize that there are a lot of ways to spend less money on gifts and yet still show that you care. Things like a gift exchange or Secret Santa is a great way to reduce the financial burden of gift giving. Homemade gifts are meaningful and can be very special to the person receiving them. Donating to charities is also becoming a popular alternative to actual store-bought presents.

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Karen Spencer

Master Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner and Coach, Master Time Line Therapy® Practitioner, Master Hypnotherapist

It Can Be Different

 

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Preventing Respiratory Illness

enviornment

Colds and flus have plagued mankind for millennia. We all end up getting sick at one point or another. In fact, nature, in its wisdom, has ensured it. Contracting viruses allows our immune system to develop and maintain strength as we age.

So, since we can’t avoid germs and illness altogether, the next best thing is to create an environment within the body and our surroundings where viruses and bacteria don’t readily survive.

Here are some of the ways we can create an inhospitable environment for germs.

The Body

Eating a lot of vegetables, leafy greens, citrus and fruit while getting regular exercise and having a solid sleep routine goes a long way. It provides your body with the nutrients, strength and restoration it needs to fight illness, disease and to rebuild itself while efficiently removing waste.

This is the best way to create an inhospitable environment for bad bacteria/viruses both inside and outside ourselves. We need to discourage unhealthy microbes, so they don’t set up shop.

The plant world can also help us out here. Certain herbs help the body fight viruses by creating an environment that stands strong against unhealthy microbes. Elderberry is phenomenal in this regard. This plant doesn’t fight the viruses that may be cruising the bloodstream. Instead, it “teaches” the cell membranes to refuse entry to viruses that want to penetrate them (this is the first stage in contracting a virus). You can take Elderberry long term but after a couple of weeks you may find you feel nauseous so take this herb for one week and then take a week off etc.

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The Self Care Movement

self care movement bev mcleish herbal north out of the woods wellness in Aurora, york region

As someone who is in the wellness industry and who has lost a decade of her life to depression, I deeply understand how important self-care is to our mental state.

In this world, with its panic-stricken days full of rush and bustle, where adrenaline and production at any cost are prized over serenity, our mental health would collapse without caring for ourselves in some way, shape or form.

But lately I’ve struggled with the overwhelming influx of self-care posts being shared, particularly on Facebook.

It may be due to the fact that I am in the wellness industry and I have multiple contacts that support and help people in various ways, but whenever I scroll through my newsfeed these sheer amount of these posts overwhelm me and I start to get upset.

It took me a while to figure out why but then it occurred to me that my newsfeed read like a list of commands:

  • Be kind.
  • Listen to your heart.
  • Read more books.
  • Join more groups.
  • Get active.
  • Change and the world changes with you.
  • Gratitude brings more of what you’re thankful for.
  • Be this.
  • Do that.

I could go on and on, but you get the idea. These phrases are great to a certain extent but they don’t really tell you anything you don’t already know.

We’re all adults here. We get it. Most of us have already read, seen or heard about the Law of Attraction. Although great in theory, the Law of Attraction hasn’t done much for folks. At least for the folks I know.

After all, the universe contains many different laws and these work simultaneously. One of which is that opposites attract! For example, males are attracted to females, and vice versa. Which is why we’re all here in the first place right?

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Bev McLeish - Chartered Herbalist Aurora - Out of the Woods Wellness, Herbal North

 

 

Bev McLeish

Chartered Herbalist

Herbal North

 

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My 2019 Resolution: Slow Down Time

New Years slow down time Karen Spencer it can be different out of the woods wellness york region

I have a lofty goal for 2019. I want to make time slow down. You may be thinking that I’ve had a little too much spiked eggnog over the holidays, sadly I did not. I have however, been thinking about this goal for a long time and I realize that it is not as “impossible” as it may seem. Let me explain.  

When I was a kid time seemed limitless. Everyday passed by very slowly. The days leading up to Christmas seemed to drag. Summer vacation was painfully long and I couldn’t wait to go back to school to see my friends. I’ve always been curious about why these feelings have left me as I’ve gotten older. Why is it that since I’ve grown up, time seems to have sped up? 

I have come to realize that it all boils down to perception. Sadly, by the time we are seven years old, half of our perceived life is over. That is why it is so common to hear (and say), “I can’t believe it is (insert any month of the year) already?” 

So how can I change my perception of time so that it actually feels like it’s slowing down? 

Reintroduce Newness 

One of the reasons time seems so slow for children is that all of their experiences are new. As we age, our experiences tend to become routine and as a result our brain begins to blur them together. However, the good news is that it doesn’t matter what age we are, trying something new wakes up the brain. So, this year I am going to try to do something new every week. Ideas that I’ve already considered are: trying new recipes, driving new routes, and learning to knit.  

Practice Curiosity 

Curiosity is a muscle, if we don’t use it, we will lose it. Being curious means clearing your mind of preconceived notions, assumptions and any strongly held habits. Here is the test I took to check on the state of my curiosity – How many uses of a shoe can I imagine? I could only come up with twelve. Truly curious people can think of hundreds! And, curiosity is key to slowing down time, because using our minds for creation allows us to be in the present moment. Being in the moment means that we are not jumping into the future and fantasizing about how we’d like things to go, or delving into the past and focusing about how things were. In the present moment, time stands still.  

So what can I do to become curious again in 2019?

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Karen Spencer

Master Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner and Coach, Master Time Line Therapy® Practitioner, Master Hypnotherapist

It Can Be Different

 

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How Herbs Work

how herbs works bev mcleish out of the woods wellness herbal north york region

As I continue my practice, I’ve noticed that it’s been difficult for some of my clients to understand the difference between plants and the conventional medication we’re so used to taking.

As a result, the mind shift I went through is something I try to my clients with as well, so they can understand how plants work and how they are fundamentally different from drugs.

Let’s Talk About Plants

Herbs contain a multitude of chemicals and unlike medication, they don’t consist of one concentrated substance. Plant substances can number in the thousands and they all enter the body and work together to offer some of the elements the body needs to bring itself back into balance.

This is why plants take time and work gently. It takes a while for the body to become unbalanced and so it may take a while for the body to recover on its own naturally.

When something takes time to heal it usually means that the healing is thorough. Think of the difference between sleeping for 8-10 hours to become fully rested or drinking a coffee in 10 minutes to get an immediate boost. The sleep will be more productive and enduring in the long run.

Herbalist Principles

Herbalists have strong beliefs about the human body and the ways in which herbs work. We’ve developed these beliefs from collective experience spanning hundreds of years.

1. The Body Responds to Illness as a Whole – this is the premise behind all Holistic medicine. When we get a headache it doesn’t necessarily mean that the cause for the headache resides in the head. There are many reasons for headaches; diet, the liver, the digestive tract, muscular tension or your sleeping routine to name a few. It’s important to find out the underlying cause and not simply suppress head pain by treating the only body part that hurts.

2. Symptoms are the Language of the Body – Herbalists see symptoms as a language the body uses to tell us when it’s out of balance. We will pay very close attention to how you experience your symptom(s) and to the other organ systems within your body to determine the source of the problem.

3. The Body Is Intelligent & Hard Wired to Heal – The body is our greatest ally and it wants to heal itself from any conditions with which it may be afflicted. The body is more intelligent than current science and any practitioner that attempts to help it. Herbalists believe the body knows what it needs and how to use it once it gets it.

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Bev McLeish

Chartered Herbalist

Herbal North

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Organization Can Be a Stress Reducer

organization can reduce stress Karen Spencer it can be different out of the woods wellness

I get asked all the time for quick and easy ways to reduce everyday stress. My answer is always the same: get organized. Putting effort into organization, especially if you can organize multiple areas of your life, can reduce stress levels in the long term by requiring less last-minute scrambling in a variety of everyday situations. The result can also bring on a sense of empowerment. You will be able to look forward to events as “exciting,” instead of “overwhelming” or “stressful.” Keeping your stress response from being triggered can minimize or eliminate negative reactions to situations, and result in an overall calmer state of being

For many however, getting organized can be quite difficult and confusing. For example, how organized is enough? Does organized mean that every minute of every day is scheduled? What are the most important areas of life to organize?

Where to Start

The following are two areas where good organization can bring about the greatest benefit:

Your House:

A house filled with clutter and disorganization can drain your energy and cause a lot of wasted effort attempting to get even the simplest of tasks done. Did you know that household clutter can also drain you in other ways? Clutter can drain your finances when you end up repurchasing items you thought were lost but were merely misplaced. And clutter can certainly drain your time as you spend wasted minutes or maybe even hours sifting through your possessions. That is why it is important to organize your home. While you don’t need to alphabetize your books or organize your closet by colours, it is important to have everything in its place and have that place be somewhere that makes sense to you.

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Karen Spencer

Master Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner and Coach, Master Time Line Therapy® Practitioner, Master Hypnotherapist

It Can Be Different

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Take Your Power Back In The Digital Age

the digital age Karen Spencer it can be different out of the woods wellness york region - life coaching and nlp services - negative self talk Aurora

Am I addicted to my technology? It’s a question I asked myself the other day. I noticed that I was never without at least one device in my hands. The next question was why is that? And what reaction was it causing in me?

A Social Norm Gone Too Far?

As a society, we are tied to our devices, night and day. When was the last time you saw someone without their phone in their hand? Chiropractors are reporting an elevated rate of patients with neck problems due to the constant head down posture brought on by screen time. Now add on the general stress level of the times we are living in. Life is moving faster than ever before in history. Expected response times to emails have gone down, from a couple of days a decade ago to a couple of minutes today.

Humans can only absorb so much stress before it boils over, turning into anxiety. So, it is vital to learn what your warning signs are and understand your triggers.

Keeping Up with the Social Media Jones’

After recognizing that I was addicted to my technology, I also came to realize that it was a potential anxiety trigger for me. I noticed that when I would look at social media sites I tended to feel ‘less than.’ These feelings quite naturally increased my anxiety.

Recent studies have shown that over fifty-five per cent of people have a negative reaction when looking at pictures of others online. These images evoke feelings of jealousy, envy, low self-esteem and competitiveness. There is also an expectation to keep up with the latest viral sensations and live news reports, to stay ‘in the know.’ This ability to access news about disasters and death twenty-four hours a day easily heightens anxiety.

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Karen Spencer

Master Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner and Coach, Master Time Line Therapy® Practitioner, Master Hypnotherapist

It Can Be Different

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Anxiety And Medication: What It Did, And Did Not Do For Me

traditional medication and anxiety it can be different karen spencer nlp york region

Often I am asked what I think about anxiety medication, and if I believe it is the answer to eliminating anxiety. Whenever this happens, I always tell my story about what medication did and did not do for me.

Help When I Needed It

During the period of my life when I was suffering from chronic anxiety, unable to cut the cycle of fear and perceived danger everywhere, I turned to medication. Both my doctor and counselor at the time suggested that, based on my symptoms, medication was the only course of action that made sense for me:

  • The persistent ‘On’ position of my mind was putting pressure on my kidneys, heart and other organs.
  • My negative thinking was causing negative hormones like cortisol to flood my body, resulting in super-elevated heart rate and sleep deprivation.

The doctor told me how important it was not to underestimate the effects that chronic anxiety can have on one’s health; both short-term and long term.

My Anxiety “Aha” Moment: Time to Seek Treatment

The particular incident that led me to take anxiety medication was when I began to behave with obsessive tendencies. I was scheduled to go visit my daughter in the UK but the thought of the long flight was bringing on panic and claustrophobia. I was seriously considering not being able to endure the flight. And I was fretting about how I would hold my composure while confined on the plane. Flying had never been a problem for me before, however now my anxiety was taking that pleasure away from me. And the thought of not being able to see my daughter was too much for me to bear. I needed to do something.

I am eternally grateful to my doctor and counsellor for their advice regarding medication. It got me out of my downward anxiety spiral, and set me back on the path to life. I believe it may have even saved my life. It had its place and it did what it was supposed to do, alleviating my anxiety in a crisis situation. Calming me down, it allowed me to reclaim control of my life.

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Karen Spencer

Master Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner and Coach, Master Time Line Therapy® Practitioner, Master Hypnotherapist

It Can Be Different

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When Can I Make It Myself & When Should I See an Herbalist?

what can an herbalist help with - when to see an herbalist bev mcleish herbal north york region aurora

I wish I got asked this question more often.

Most people think herbs are easy to understand and easy to take because they grew up immersed in a Western mindset when it comes to substances that affect the body. They think of natural remedies as safe because they’re gentle and not as strong as medicinal drugs. At the same time, they view plants as if they are single substances all to themselves, when nothing could be further from the truth. For instance, many believe when you take an herb labelled for a specific condition it will only work on that condition and a particular part of the body. In addition, many believe that if an herb doesn’t work for them then it doesn’t work for anyone with that condition. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

The reality is that herbs are multifaceted. They contain many chemicals and constituents which work on more than one condition simultaneously. Because there is more to them than one dimension, herbs can work for someone’s joint pain and not another’s. I’ll be touching more on this in next month’s blog.

The main point I am trying to make here is that just because an herb doesn’t work for you doesn’t mean plants are not going to be helpful to you and your situation. This is the very reason why there are herbalists out there. And why some herbs work for some people and not for others.

Small Stuff

When it isn’t serious and happens infrequently, go ahead and use plant remedies for:

  • Colds & Flus
  • Insomnia
  • Headache
  • Aches & Pains
  • Cramps

If there is an issue that has been bothering you for a while or the herb you used did not help or seemed to make things worse, reach out for an herbalist.

We are specially trained to determine which plant would make the best impact based on what you are experiencing – and there are thousands of plants out there.

A WIDE ARRAY OF HERBS IN JARS

When It’s Time to See an Herbalist

If you have any kind of longstanding, chronic or repetitive issue, you should see a medical practitioner. This is to ensure it does not progress into something dangerous; or points to something more problematic going on inside your body.

That being said, plant remedies can do a lot to alleviate discomfort. And can help with any condition the body cooks up.

Menstrual cramps, headaches, long-term insomnia, musculoskeletal pain, digestive issues and nervous system issues are all conditions where herbs can provide a lot of support.

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Bev McLeish

Chartered Herbalist

Herbal North

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