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Sleeping Much?

Just JourneyingLeave a comment

With today’s society being so fast and on the move all the time, some of us have a harder time catching up and/or staying caught up and it takes a toll on our health. One of the reasons is not getting enough— scratch that, not getting adequate sleep. Because what you think is enough may not be what your body says is enough.

I speak from experience. I have a very difficult time falling asleep without the use of melatonin. If I don’t take melatonin, I’m up for hours. Then I crash, but not for long, for I also have difficulty staying asleep (melatonin works wonder for that as well). Well long story short, my sleep cycle never really completes itself and I wake up fatigued.

I’m sharing this because so many people are sleep deprived and don’t even know it. You don’t have to have insomnia to be sleep deprived. All you have to do is take a look at your sleeping patterns and note how you feel when you go to sleep and wake up. There are two questions you can ask yourself, 1) Do I wake up feeling any better than I did when I went to sleep? 2) How many hours of rest do I tend to get at night?

Now, answer honestly and don’t embellish. If you answer Yes to #1 then great! Let’s move on to question #2, how many hours rest do you tend to get at night? If you answer 6-8 hours then you’re doing fabulous and keep it up! If you answered lower than that then unfortunately, you are considered sleep deprived. In my personal opinion, there is room for disparity. Just like with mostly everything else, nobody is the same. Your body may require more or less rest than your best friend and age also plays a role.

If you know yourself and remember your best night’s sleep and roughly how many hours you slept, then you can gauge from there what your ideal sleep schedule would be. Now if you work overnight, your schedule is going to be a little wonky but don’t worry, even you can get a regular and healthy sleep cycle going.

Before I go on, I’m no sleep expert and I don’t claim to be all knowing in the subject. In fact, I’m still working on my own sleep habits. I’m just speaking from experience and sharing what I have learned in my schooling and by doing research myself. My goal is to share this knowledge and help educate you on the topic at hand. Health starts within. How can we truly perform at our optimal levels without optimal rest?

Also, the body does most of its healing while we sleep. The less we sleep, the less time the body has to do its repairs. So, we are literally setting ourselves up for failure by being sleep deprived. Don’t Worry! It’s not too late to change things. And that’s the whole point of this post.

I mentioned earlier in the reading that I take melatonin to help me get to sleep and stay asleep. It’s been a saving grace. I definitely recommend coming up with a solid sleep schedule first, and then consistently taking the melatonin at the same time before sleeping. When I did this, my body became synchronized, and I would eventually get to sleep on my own and stay asleep on my own. It was the best. I speak in past tense because since then I have gone through many changes and fell off of my schedules and routines. Side note: Do not beat yourself up for falling off. Just don’t give up. You are only doing a disservice to yourself.

Another thing that helped me with my sleep routine was my workout routine. Around the time I was getting my best sleep, I was also consistently working out and it increased my chances of a great nights rest. I’m not going to get into all the technicalities of why that is in this post but try it for yourself and see if it helps you. I don’t recommend working out right before bed, but a few hours before bed followed by a nice warm soak or shower, that definitely should do the trick.

I also recommend mindfulness. I like to think I am mindful quite often but in reality, I still have a long way to go. That’s another topic for another time. Sitting quietly, in silence and allowing yourself only to think thoughts of gratitude is a practice that needs more discussion in the health industry. You are literally what you think, and your thoughts DO manifest themselves whether you believe it or not. If you are not carefully paying attention to your thought pattern, you can make yourself ill. Negative thoughts are poisonous and as you sit and fester, worry or resent, you are creating a very toxic body on the inside. When you practice mindfulness, you create an environment in and around you that is conducive for healing and positivity. Doing this practice while sitting or lying down in bed before going to sleep is super relaxing and promotes such a satisfying and peaceful sleep.

In my opinion, White noise is overrated. What I like to listen to as I drift off to sleep is Binaural Tones or beats, or subconscious affirmations. Both of these things can aide in physical and mental health restoration. Listening to the soothing voice implant positive thoughts into my head is very relaxing as it encourages me to go to sleep speaking positivity into my dreams and into my life. The different Binaural tones meet different needs of the body, soul and mind. You can target whatever health issue you are combating and let the vibrations and sound waves aide in your healing process (Yes sound heals) and soothe yourself into a peaceful rejuvenating sleep at the same time.

For my overnighters, you can use any or all of these helpful tips too. You would just be on a different schedule than everyone else. And since you most likely sleep when the sun is up, I would recommend getting these Blackout Curtains so that the light does not disturb your sleep. Before I changed my schedule, I was working late evenings and sleeping in during the day like most do. It proved something of a nuisance to sleep for any long period time because my room was just too bright. Enter the Blackout Curtains. What a wonderful invention that I had forgotten all about. They solved my sleep issues during the day, and I was plenty rested for the evening’s shift.

To put it simply, rest is not rest if it isn’t good rest. If you are not sleeping well, your body will not be rested and will remain unrested until you get yourself the necessary sleep that you require. Don’t “sleep” on this advice 😉😄 All puns intended lol. See you guys in the next post!

The 8 Best Immune System Boosting Supplements

Just Journeying2 Comments

If you are looking for powerful supplements that will enable you to create a fortress of an Immune System, then you have come to the right place! I am going to share with you my top 8 Immune System Support Supplements. These are my favorite because of their strength and effectiveness. I am in no way encouraging you to take this over any meds your doctor prescribed for you. These re just suggestions. However, if you are seeking to maintain and heal your body on your own terms, then this is possibly for you. So, let’s get into it!

  1. Dandelion Root Tea

I started drinking dandelion tea 4 years ago. I saw an old coworker of mine preparing it one day at work and I was curious as to what flavor she had chosen. Thats when she told me she was drinking dandelion tea. She said that it felt like velvet in her mouth. I was like wow, that sounds delicious. I am already an avid tea drinker, so I get excited to try different types and flavors. She went on to explain the health benefits the tea had and one of those being it was a detoxifying tea due to the properties of the dandelion herb. I immediately became even more interested in the tea because I had just began diving deeper in my holistic health journey. I bought some that day right after work. And it works! It’s wonderful for detoxing the body and namely the liver. We all should know by now how important liver health is. It’s also a natural diuretic and it can be intense the first few months of drinking it regularly. There’s good news though, if you are persistent and resilient, it evens out and just helps you become regular. I definitely dropped weight and I even experienced clearer skin and a vibrance in my complexion.

2. Burdock Root

I learned about Burdock Root as I was making my recipe for my cleansing tea. The benefits of consuming this root were too good to pass up. Studies have shown that burdock root helps with evening out and correcting skin complexion as well as clearing up acne and eczema. It’s also known to be a blood purifier which, let’s face it, with the amount of blood borne pathogens floating around out here, this is a no-brainer. It’s wonderful for supporting and boosting liver health and eliminating toxins, promoting hair growth, regulation of blood sugar (always consult your dr. first), improving kidney function and elimination of toxins, a holistic and natural way to treat and prevent cancers, fights arthritis with its powerful anti-inflammatory properties, and also aiding in the healing of stomach ulcers.

3. Oil Of Oregano

Another powerful supplement I learned about while being on my detoxing journey has been the oil of oregano supplement. This comes in an oil form and in a capsule form. I opted to take the capsules. It’s known for its antiviral and antibacterial properties. Benefits include and are not limited to fighting bacteria such as Staphylococcus, a common type of bacteria that causes staph infection, treating small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), Treating fungal infections such as yeast infections, athlete’s foot, oral thrush, etc, providing antioxidants, reducing inflammation, healing wounds, relieving pain, aiding in weight loss and the big one, fighting against cancer!

4. Milk Thistle

Milk Thistle has strong detoxifying properties and can help protect the liver and treat cirrhosis, jaundice, hepatitis, and gallbladder disorders. Not only that but the combination of antioxidants, fatty acids, and silybin in milk thistle can actually work to balance insulin levels and maintain even blood sugar levels for people with diabetes and people at risk for getting diabetes.

5. Elderberry

I love Elderberries and you cannot go wrong by including them in your diet. Elderberry is known for being a very good source of protein and fiber while also being rich in Vitamins A, B, and C as well as potassium, iron and copper. It’s also known for working as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. FYI, the leaves and stems and such are known to be a bit toxic so I would suggest just consuming the berry or extract thereof.

6. Pau D’Arco

Pau De Arco originates in South America and its benefits come from the bark of this plant. It’s rich in Selenium, antioxidants, antiviral and antifungal properties, reduces inflammation, fights against candida, combats cancer, treats ulcers, detoxifies the body and can be used as a pain reliver if drank as a tea.

7. Garlic

Good ‘ol garlic. Most of us know that garlic has many great health benefits, but the downside is its very pungent smell. It seeps through the skin and sticks to the breath creating an unpleasant odor. I knew how important the health benefits to garlic, so I decided to look into alternative ways to take it. I found odorless garlic supplements and let me tell you they worked! Garlic can combat sicknesses such as the cold and flu, garlic contains antioxidants, helps detoxify the body of heavy metals, works as an ani-inflammatory and is also good for improving skin and hair health.

8. Beet Root

Beet root are rich in folate (vitamin B9) which helps cells grow and function. They are a wonderful source of anti-inflammatory properties, and they also are known to help cleanse the blood. More health benefits include its Anti cancerous properties, helps lower blood pressure, boosts immunity and also helps prevent dementia. I still take this in capsule form almost every day to protect my body against Covid and the flu.

FYI folks, I haven’t tested positive for COVID once and I haven’t had the flu in years. These supplements work and you can quote me on it. I am not vaccinated and I will not be vaccinated because these herbs and supplements do everything they are supposed to do for my body, naturally, and I don’t need to worry about getting sick. Remember that you have to adjust your lifestyle to stay well. Just simply taking the supplements alone is not enough, it’s a start, but you must also be aware of what you eat on a daily because what good are herbs and supplements if you go and poison yourself some more? Food for thought 😉

Fitness @ Home Made Easy

Just JourneyingLeave a comment

Not all the time do I feel like going to the gym. I am not alone in this feeling which is why I felt the need to compile a list of my favorite tools that I use to workout in the comfort of my own home.

The Kettlebell

This is my fave out of all of the weights. It’s easy and comfortable to hold and maneuver. Easy to use in pairs. I just love this one. Perfect for side lunges, side bends, kettlebell deadlifts, and any weighted stretching technique. I improvised a lot of my workouts using this weight. Call me a geek, I can’t say enough about it! 😀

Resistance Bands

Most people are already familiar with these bad boys but just in case you are not, let me present to you the most efficient convenient set of tools for your exercise regimen. Resistance bands have a number of uses and come in many different styles. You can use them for strength training and toning and even stretching. I used mine in mostly all of my workouts for leg day and even spiced up my planks by incorporating them once in a while to shock my muscles. Another use, upper body workouts. I love doing Lat Pulldowns with my bands as well as Tricep-Pulldowns especially when I don’t have access to weights and a bench. You can never go wrong with using your own body weight against yourself. I’ve seen the best results come from body weight resistance training so don’t knock it till you try it.

Core Sliders

Yeah, these things are killer for strength training. That’s all I have to say on that. My favorite workouts to do were mountain climbers and spider walks. There are other workouts you can do with these, but I never tried them. The two I mentioned were the ones that I always used because of the heavy focus on core strength. There are exercises for the arms and also stretches that can be done using the core sliders and not to mention a really great tool to have on hand for home workouts.

Jump Ropes

I used to love jumping rope as a child, and I just never truly knew how much endurance and strength I had as a child until I started jumping rope for cardio exercise. Boy talk about a workout in itself. Jumping rope is super underrated and super easy to do at home. I highly recommend it if you’re not into running. You can get these in various styles too.

Yoga Blocks

I use these for balance exercises and stretching. There are a number of Pilates workouts that you can do using one of these and of course there are yoga routines that use the blocks as their name suggests. My favorite stretches to do with yoga blocks are the Standing Forward Fold, the Revolved Triangle, the Malasana, the Bridge Pose and the Child Pose. I struggle with muscle tightness and these stretches saved the day plenty of time.

Stationary Bike

When it comes to Cardio, I am very picky. I have never been one to run so jogging and treadmills were never a popular choice. Instead, I opt for jump rope or biking sometimes even the Stairmaster. The stationary bike I use came with resistance bands built in it which was so dope! A 20 min bike ride was all I needed to get my cardio in for the day.

The Thigh Master

This is another tool I have nothing bad to say about. Its versatility is what appealed most to me. Don’t let its name full you. You can use this baby for more than just thighs. I have used it for my arms and chest as well. It has multiple functions, and I even came up with my own workouts to do with it. It’s not bulky either and super easy to store away until your next session. You can’t miss with this one.

And there you have it folks, these are my top tools that I use to workout at home. Not too bad right? I’m a simple woman and I like when my workouts are too. Why make it complicated you know?

Please let me know your favorites in the comments! Until next time!

Personal Fitness

Just Journeying2 Comments

Everyone has their body goals. Some what a big round tush and a slender waist, maybe others want a more chiseled mid section, perhaps you’re somewhere in between. The fact is we all have in our minds how we would like to look. The big deal is, how do we get there.

As a young girl I was taught to take good care of my body and that started with what I ate and how much excercise I was getting. I have done Tae Bo, Yoga, Pilates, and a few different workout plans in my life and I noticed a couple of things: It will not help if I am not consistant, and my body is different so not all workouts will benefit me. I think a lot of folks forget those things when it comes down to it. So I want to give you my top 3 things that I did to get in the best shape of my life.

Do Your Research

This is a big one which is why I put it first. My body and fitness goals included shedding 20-25 lbs, and toning up. That simple. NOOOOT! When I buckled down and consistently worked out 4-5 days a week using one of my favorite fitness plans, I noticed that I wasn’t really seeing the results I wanted. I have always been big-boned woman, so I had no problem getting thick and sometimes a little too thick. That is what I thought would work in my favor as I worked to reach my fitness and body goals. Instead, it did not seem to help at all. As I toned up, I started to lose mass in the most important part, you guessed it, my rear-end. This was highly upsetting, and I just knew something was wrong for I was doing countless squats, lunges, pelvic thrusts, etc. Why was my butt getting flatter? Well after doing very detailed research for several months, I found out that I suffer from Gluteal Weakness. Yes, my butt muscles were inactive and weak and that is why I was not retaining my booty. In fact, this realization led to more eye-opening discoveries about the condition of my body, and though I was working out, I was not doing the exercises most beneficial for my unique situation. Once I had all the information I needed, I took the fitness plans that I had and tailored them into a fitness plan that would most benefit me and my body and WALAH! I started to see the desired results. It’s far from over though, I have not reached my goal nor my body’s full potential and I know it takes time and dedication. Still, because I took it upon myself to do the research and figure out what would be better for me, I am on the right path to having that awesome bod that I have been after for years. Do your research, it will save you a lot of time and headache in the long run and enable to reach your goals sooner.

Diet

The next important thing to remember is you are what you eat. Diet plays a very important role in your health and fitness journey. You will not gain the desired results by eating all the trans fats, fried foods, and consuming sugary snacks and drinks. You might see a slight change, but it will never be what you want it to be unless you cut the wrong things out of your diet and introduce the right things. There is a specific code for food for each unique situation whether you are trying to gain weight or slim down. It’s about knowing what the food you consume does to benefit your body. For example, because I had lost the mass in my ass lol I had to start consuming more proteins and healthy fats to gain mass back. I have to be careful because I know too much will take me too far, there is a nice delicate balance and that is something that you have to pay attention to when working to a desired and specific fitness goal.

Consistency

Here is that word again. Consistency. With everything in this life, you won’t get anywhere without working at it and for it. You also won’t keep it if you do not maintain it. This was a big one for me. Staying consistent and dedicated has been super challenging because I am impatient. Not seeing the results I wanted, and then finding out that I had been doing it the wrong way all along set me back and to be very honest with you, I had lost the motivation and drive to continue for a while there. When I had gotten back into, I found myself falling off repeatedly and I would beat myself up about it. That is the WORST thing you can do to yourself when working at accomplishing your goals. That goes for any goals. I finally had to learn to take it a day at a time and start by doing at least one workout a day. I decided to do that one workout and 2-3 sets of 10 or 15 depending on how I was feeling that day and I felt accomplished. Like they say sometimes, it’s not always about quantity but quality. In doing that, I started to feel more motivated and a few weeks later found that I had added two more workouts to my regimen. Baby steps go a long way, which takes me to me final point.

DO WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU

Stop worrying about what he is doing to get buff or what she is doing to gain that curvy body. What works for them is not guaranteed to work for you. Some people can go to the gym and spend 3 hours there 5 days a week. Others feel like 3 times a week for an hour does them just as well. It’s all about you and how you feel and how your body feels. As a professional personal trainer, I do not recommend working out till you throw up. That is not a healthy response. In fact, that is a signal that your body has been pushed past it’s limit and you really need to stop. If you feel like that when you work out then please take the time to evaluate the exercises you are performing, how you are doing them and how long you are doing them for. Perhaps cutting your workout time in half would be a smart move until your body has gained the tolerance and strength it needs to move to the next level. There are levels to everything in life and fitness is included. I had to start small and work my way up and it was definitely a great decision. Remember, you are a unique person and there is nobody like you. Understand that remains true in everything you chose to do. Do NOT force yourself to do anything that you cannot physically handle. Fitness is very important, and it can be tailored and altered to suit your very specific needs.

There it is folks, my top 3 tips that have gotten me where I am in my fitness journey and continue to help me reach the goals that I so desire. I hope they help you too!

Until Next Time!