My work as holistic health coach is a calling for me.  I feel a deep sense of purpose by supporting others in their goals to actualize their best selves.  Whether it is in my coach practice, in my friendships or in some other capacity, it seems to be part and parcel of who I am.  And I’m cool with that.  I love it actually.   And, I am my best reminder of why I am drawn to other healers as clients.  We healers, in whatever way we do what we do, all have a knack for forgetting to take care of Self.   And I have learned both by neglect and by success that self-care is the most important practice in the life of any healer.

In the coming weeks and months, I’ll share more about my journey.  I am happy to be back and thrilled to have met you here, again.

Until very soon.

Peace.

Alexis

10 Steps for Dealing with Sugar Addiction

1. Reduce or eliminate caffeine. The ups and downs of caffeine include dehydration and blood sugar swings, causing sugar cravings to be more frequent.
2. Drink water. Sometimes sweet cravings are a sign of dehydration. Before you go for the sugar, have a glass of water and then wait a few minutes to see what happens. Caution: soft drinks are now America’s number one source of added sugar.
3. Eat sweet vegetables and fruit. They are sweet, healthy and delicious. The more you eat, the less you crave sugar.
4. Use gentle sweets. Avoid chemicalized, artificial sweeteners and foods with added sugar. Use gentle sweeteners like maple syrup, brown rice syrup, dried fruit, stevia, barley, malt and agave nectar.
5. Get physical activity. Start with simple activities, like walking or yoga. Start with 10 minutes a day and gradually increase. It will help balance your blood sugar levels, boost your energy, and reduce tension without medicating yourself with sugar!
6. Get more sleep, rest and relaxation. When you are tired or stressed, your body will crave energy—in the form of sugar. These cravings are often a result of being sleep-deprived, going to bed late or waking up early, sometimes for months and years on end.
7. Evaluate the amount of animal food you eat. Eating too much can lead to cravings for sweets. So can eating too little! A good health counselor will help you sort this out. Experiment. Respect your body’s individuality.
8. Eliminate fat-free or low-fat foods. These foods contain high quantities of sugar to compensate for lack of flavor and fat, which will send you on the roller-coaster ride of sugar highs and lows.
9. Experiment with spices. Coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom will naturally sweeten your foods and reduce cravings.
10. Slow down and find sweetness in non-food ways! You body does not biologically need sugar, but it does long for hugs, time with friends, outside time, workouts, massages, etc. When life becomes sweet enough itself, no additives are needed!

From Get the Sugar Out: 501 Simple Ways to Cut the Sugar Out of Any Diet by Ann Louise Gittleman.

My personal bonus tip:

During the holidays I love to experience sweetness through my sense of smell.  One of my favorite things to do is to fill a small crock pot with whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and sliced apples.  I then fill the crock pot with water.  When I come home in the evenings, I turn the crock pot on and slightly open lid.  As the water warms, this homemade potpourri fills the home with the sweet scents of the season and adds much needed moisture back into the air to combat the dryness caused by our heating systems.  Enjoy!

…while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads…

If you are anything like me, the holidays remind you (and tempt me) of the sweet deliciousness that is abundant everywhere this time of year.  I know it’s hard to use restraint.  I know I won’t completely abstain.  But what I would like to do is to help you put your sugar fantasies into perspective with the downside of our addiction to the sweet white powder.  Today, I give you 20 ways sugar can ruin your health.  Tomorrow, I’ll give you tips to curb your sugar cravings (and still enjoy the holidays!)  I’m no Scrooge.

Here you go:

1. Sugar can suppress the immune system.
2. Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
3. Sugar can weaken eyesight.
4. Sugar can cause hypoglycemia.
5. Sugar can cause a rapid rise of adrenaline levels in children.
6. Sugar contributes to obesity.
7. Sugar can cause arthritis.
8. Sugar can cause heart disease and emphysema.
9. Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
10. Sugar can increase cholesterol.
11. Sugar can lead to both prostrate cancer and ovarian cancer.
12. Sugar can contribute to diabetes.
13. Sugar can cause cardiovascular disease.
14. Sugar can make our skin age by changing the structure of collagen.
15. Sugar can produce a significant rise in triglycerides.
16. Sugar can increase the body’s fluid retention.
17. Sugar can cause headaches, including migraines.
18. Sugar can cause depression.
19. Sugar can contribute to Alzheimer’s disease.
20. In intensive care units, limiting sugar saves lives.

Adapted from 146 Reasons Why Sugar Is Ruining Your Health by Nancy Appleton, Ph.D.

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It was a great run, just 30 minutes, but just a year ago walking 30 minutes would have been a bit of a chore for me.  I had a little talk with myself along that run about why it is that negative motivation was more powerful to get me moving than remembering how wonderful I feel when I’m in my stride, connected with my breath, in awe of my body’s ability and strength, in awe of my perseverance and progress and that of the human spirit,  in awe of the beauty of the morning and my connection with it.

I returned to the house, grabbed my yoga mat and spread it out in the middle of the front yard.  It was a glorious morning.  Blue skies, soft breeze, birds singing away.  My first ujjayi breath reconnected me to myself, to my practice, to all of the beauty around me.  My last ujjayi breath was as I lay in Shavasana gazing at the beauty of the green leaves of the tree above me against the striking blue morning sky.  For a half-second I wanted to run and grab my camera.  And then I didn’t.  Some artists, I figured, live to capture the moment.  I chose to be in the moment instead.

The part of me that chose negative motivation and the part that wanted to leave the moment and grab the camera are the same to me.  They both pull me away from what is beautiful, what is real, what is true.

Connecting to what is beautiful, what is real, what is true is today’s tip for staying in balance.

Live healthy, live happy.

Namaste.

Even when we over-work, over-eat, over-stress, under-rest, under-nourish, and under-hydrate our bodies, they still love us and do the best they can with what we  give them to keep us getting along every day.  Imagine what your body would do if you gave it exactly what it needs to not just  get along everyday but to thrive every day.  Imagine what you’d be able to accomplish, imagine the life you’d live if your body were operating at it’s full, amazing capacity to carry you through life with energy, strength and focus.

You are an amazing being.  Yes, you.  And you’re more than your body.  You are spirit. You have a mind. You exist in relationship with other mind-body-spirits.  All of these parts of your wonderful Self work together in an effort to maintain a place of balance from which we all thrive, experiencing health and happiness. It’s the place from which we truly live.

At ~Stasis~ you can find simple, regular tips and reminders to live a natural, healthy lifestyle that will give your body the very best chance to do what it already knows how to do: heal itself.

Welcome.