Jumpstart Your Feel Good Happy Hormones with These Foods

Many of us have attributed our bad moods at one time or another to be "hormonal".  I know I have! Other times it is the stress that drains us and rob us of any good mood we may have had before the stress started!   

I used to wish I could have a happy pill to get rid of that "bad mood, cantankerous" feeling.  But,  I don't believe in using pharmaceuticals when it comes to enhancing moods (just my opinion).  I am always trying to find healthy and holistic ways to improve my emotional and physical health.  T

There are "happy" foods that are healthy and can help boost those feel-good hormones that sometimes get depleted.  Here are some foods that can help boost our happy hormones and put us in a "better mood".

• Spinach - high in iron and magnesium, but also high in a class of chemicals that help us to feel "stimulated" These chemicals in spinach help to release Dopamine the same chemicals used for anti-depressants.  Dopamine gives you a sense of well-being and helps to stimulate happy and pleasurable senses in the brain.

• Oily Fish - the fatty acids and omega 3  in oily fish stabilize our brains.  Salmon, sardines, trout, herring and mackerel are all examples of oil fish. 

• Mussels - are not only delicious they are wonderful for helping your body regulate your mood.  The iodine, selenium, and zinc are very good for your thyroid which also can have an impact on your mood and overall health.

• Asparagus - are great for enhancing the feel good hormones because they are full of serotonin (feel good hormone) and tryptophan which boosts happy hormones.  ( you can also  find it  in turkey breast) 

• Egg Yolks - while they can be high in cholesterol ( so if you have high cholesterol you may want to skip this food) egg yolks are high in choline which aids in increasing your mental sharpness and positive attitude. They also contain trypotophan a happy hormone booster. 

Check out the Wellness Woman Holistic Living Academy - great online classes that can help you learn how to holistically reduce your stress and reduce your anxiety. The tips I share are all based on what I do every day to minimize the symptoms of having an Anxiety Disorder.

Check out my ebook and  journal DeStress The Mess - Minimize The Impact of Stress On Your Life, Maximize The Joy In Your Life 

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Check out  video series - Wellness Woman 40 and Beyond Show 

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10 Things I Have Discovered About Aging - And They Are All GOOD!

I AM TURNING 60!!

I know there are many women out there that don't like to tell there age.  I get it!  It's a personal decision. But when I first stared PraiseWorks and then later the brand Wellness Woman 40 and Beyond, I decided that I wanted to be transparent about my age.  I want to send the message that aging is not a curse, and it doesn't have to be a traumatic event.  Aging is a very beautiful part of life.  If you make a choice to look on the bright side of what aging is, you will discover a lot of surprisingly positive things about aging.  

You can decide how you want to age.  I am not talking so much about how you look, but how you feel about you on the inside.  Your self-love and self-care is crucial as you age.  Getting comfortable in the skin your in is a must.  Finding the part of your life that gives you a sense of excitement and adventure is important.  And...having the passion to pursue your dreams is what makes the aging process that much more exciting.

Try taking a positive approach towards aging. Here are my top ten reasons getting older is great! 

• We finally have the time to get to know you! Now that the kids are grown and in some cases gone, you have can take moments of time to just be.  You can spend that quality and quantity time to get to know YOU again.  You can have those conversations with you without feeling your being selfish taking the time out to connect with your inner most self.  You can finally learn how to be a great person to hang out with. 
• We can be comfortable wearing your signature look! There is no longer that pressure to make sure what your wearing is in style.  Sure we don't necessarily want to look like we are wearing something we bought in 70's  BUT we certainly don't need to go out an buy the latest fad fashion. When you are older you begin to feel comfortable in what suits you best. You can wear your own timeless signature look with confidence.  There is nothing sexier than the over 40, 50, 60, woman who is confident. 
• We can wear those hips, gray hair, fine wrinkles etc...with pride! There are some physical changes that come with aging.  But we don;t have to be ashamed of them!!  Nor do we have to stress out trying to change them. What about embracing those changes. What about seeing those changes as a badge of honor  that we have lived, survived and thrived. Not everyone gets to see those changes...we need to celebrate the fact that we are blessed to still be here! 
• We can bring back our inner child - While we were raising our children, climbing that corporate ladder, racking up materialistic milestones under our belt we got pretty serious.  We reigned in that inner child and perhaps toned down the silly part of our personalities. We became responsible. But guess what ...one of the great things about getting older is we don't have to reign the inner child in any more. We can laugh, act silly, have "kid" fun and get re-acquainted with that part of yourself that got buried during our "formative" years.
•  We no longer the small stuff... or even the big stuff - We have now reached a point in our lives where we have experienced just about every kind of pain, disappointment, failure, sickness and unfortunately loss of a loved one. We are finally at a place in our life that when stuff happens we know that "this too shall pass".  We know that when trouble comes, not to panic,but to use our life experience and wisdom to get us through. 
• We can tell it like it  is- We no longer feel the need to play the PC (politically correct) game.  We can really tell it like it is and not worry about the repercussions.  We have so much more clarity of thought and life experience that gives us all the more confidence to say what we think and feel regardless of what others might think.  It is liberating! 
• We learn to be present and live in the moment- We start to value our time more and no longer want to waste it lamenting over the past or worrying as much about the future.  Instead we begin to realize that life is so precious and each day is special. 
• We can finally pursue those interest that we have put off for years - Since you start to have more time as you age (the kids are either grown or  gone, you are working less hours or have retired) you can take the opportunity to pursue those interest you never got to do. Perhaps you wanted to try ballroom dancing, or return to school, or perhaps take up painting. Whatever it is you have not had a chance to do, now is the time to do it. 
• We have more wisdom and experience - No longer do you have to agonize over decisions. You have the life experience and smarts to make better decisions thank you did when you were in your 20's and 30's. You have better judgement as you age and you have less emotional decisions 
• We can take more time with our loved ones -  Not only do we have more time for our loved ones (children, grandchildren, spouse, friends) we can choose when we want to spend that time and not have any guilt. 

And the main reason getting older can be great?  We are generally happier and more joyful. Studies show life looks a little rosier after 50, a new study finds. Older people in their mid- to late-50s are generally happier, and experience less stress and worry than young adults in their 20s, the researchers say. 

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Naturally Beautiful and Optimal Wellness Summit - Natural Solutions to Boost Your Health and Wellness!!

When I heard about this I had to share it with you! I’ve never seen anything quite like it.

This is really interesting: Our bodies give us clues when we’ve got lessons to learn whether it be physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually. Have you ever had any type of DIS-EASE in any of these areas?

If you are human than most likely the answer is yes. We all come to this world without a manual for healthy living. Unfortunately, the majority of people do not know how to give their bodies and minds the best possible care. For the most part we only seek out education about how to heal when something goes wrong.

When we choose not to ignore the problem any longer we seek out help. It may be a quick journey or a long journey to get better. We start dealing with the symptoms and realize the best way to deal with the situation is to get to the root cause.

Any of this sound familiar? We need to do better. That’s why I’d like to invite you to come learn from me and 20 others that are the world’s top experts in the fields of nutrition and health in the Naturally Beautiful and Optimal Wellness Summit, our experts are sharing practical tips on how you can boost your health and wellness naturally starting right now.

--- Register now for this free online event Naturally Beautiful and Optimal Wellness Summit.

If you want to optimize your health and start taking full control of your mind and body, watch me and these experts talk about our natural solutions on the Naturally Beautiful and Optimal Wellness Summit is available for FREE right now.

Come join us for fun and knowledge right now Naturally Beautiful and Optimal Wellness Summit.

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5 Tips To Get Motivated and Inspired to SPRING Into Wellness and Holistic Living

It’s hard to believe that we are almost half-way through 2017!  Where has the time gone?  Many of us always start the new year with some goals on what we are going to do to improve our health. We all start off with a resolve that this will be OUR year to breakout and breakthrough to a healthier lifestyle!  But what normally happens is LIFE gets in the way.  We find ourselves overwhelmed with the reality of just LIVING and bit by bit our resolve begins to wane and before you know it we are back to where we started.

Don’t feel bad …this is so common.  It happens to me too.   BUT, the good news is that it’s all about how you finish not how you start.  Here are 5 tips I want to share to help you get the motivation and inspiration to start and maintain your wellness goals.

• Set One Goal First …Work It, Achieve It, Maintain It – sometimes we bite off more than we can chew. When it comes to achieving a change when it comes to our health it easier to come up with your top five goals and then plan on achieving one goal at a time.  I know we are all wonderful multi-taskers but trying to achieve several goals at once doesn’t work. I know …I have tried. I learned in 2016 to write it all my goals down, prioritize them, and then select the first one and GO FOR IT.  When it comes to making lifestyle changes that will get you to a healthier lifestyle this is the best way to go.

• Get a Dream Keeper – Find someone you trust, who knows what your goals are, and asked them to be your Dream keeper.  Your dream keeper champions you, encourages you, helps to gently keep you on track without making you feel like, once again you are failing.  You share with your dream keep your goals, your frustrations with achieving your goals.  You Dream Keeper is the one you call when you feel like you are not making progress.  Your Dream Keeper is the on that uplifts you and celebrates you when you succeed. Trying to make significant changes in our lives without a dream keeper is more challenging.  Find that Dream Keeper and watch how more quickly you achieve your goals.

• Journal – I know you have heard this before but I must tell you that journaling is powerful.  It will help you to stay focused. Write down your successes. Focus on what you did, no matter how small that helped you achieve your goal. Journaling will remind you what you accomplished. Journaling will help you move toward accomplishing your goal.  You don’t have to write a book each time. Just perhaps a paragraph or so.  Journaling is one way to check in with yourself.  You will be surprised when you look back on what you have written in a month, how much you have grown.  and in many cases how quickly you achieved that one goal and are now ready for the next goal.

• Surround Yourself With Like Minds – If you are trying to increase your walking, or increase your intake of healthy foods you don’t want to hang out with sedentary snack food eaters.  Making a change to a more holistic and well lifestyle is an opportunity to find new friends who have similar goals.  This doesn’t mean that you leave behind your friends you have known for years, but it does mean that you whenever you make a change it’s an opportunity to make other changes in your life…like finding new friends who are interested in making the change with you.

• Be Kind To Yourself – Many times the goals we set are challenging.  There are times when you might feel like giving up, or you might “backslide” and go back to habits that you are trying to break.  When this happens give yourself a break. Don’t beat up on yourself. Affirm yourself by remembering what you have accomplished, what you have done so far toward your goal. Making a change for the better in anything you do in life, is a process. Sometimes a long, frustrating, and difficult process, but a process that will inevitably change your life for the better.

Tune InTo My Show "What's Inside You - Mind, Body, Energy" 

Learn How To Reduce Your Stress and Increase The Joy In Your Life 

Wellness Woman 40 and Beyond E-Magazine

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What's Inside You - Mind, Body, Energy - 4 Great Shows That Empower, Educate, Entertain

WOW - what a whirlwind year 2017 is turning out to be!  I had promised myself that I would blog once a week.  That was back in January and so far I have failed miserably!  But I do have an excuse...I have been busy with the production of my new podcast series "Whats Inside You - Mind, Body, Energy"  Every Thursday we air great interviews with people who have something to share about wellness for the mind, body, and spirit.

The last few interviews have been truly awesome and I wanted to share with you the last four interviews I have done that are also my top rated shows since the creation of the podcast..over 28,000 downloads per show!

The topics range from a man learning to cope with a serious Bi-Polar condition to how to live an orgasmic life!  An array of topics that empower, educate and entertain. Enjoy!

He placed the loaded pistol to his head and pulled the trigger...

An inspirational story of one man's journey of emotional healing and one man's determination to pursue life on purpose while helping others who are dealing with mental illness. Justin Peck shares his amazing story.

Following a TV appearance on Dr Oz, she was inudated with emails and calls from women wanting to understand why a woman should have at least three orgasims a week. 

 Dr Andrea Pennington, MD  shares The Orgasmic Prescription for women.  A wonderful interview on how to improve your sexual health and well being on several levels.

The good news is there are answers and solutions.  The answers and solutions we seek, the guidance we need, lies within us. 

Abby Gouch, Intuitive Success Coach shares tips on how to access that inner guide that we all have within us that will lead us to success.

A unique and breakthrough approach healing from chronic disease and other illnesses

Dr. Moshe Daniel Block shares a revolutionary form of counseling that helps the patient to discover their own healing by connecting the mind and body to reslove illness.

 

Tune in every Thursday for more great shows on "What's Inside You - Mind, Body, Energy" Be eductaed, empowered and entertained!

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Emotional Wellness During Tough Time and Transitions-Tips for Surviving and Thriving

A new chapter in history has begun.  We have a new president, new cabinet, and newly elected representatives in the United States.  There are some who are very excited and some who are not.

It is evident from the results of the Women's March in Washington D.C. and throughout the United States that many people have concerns.

Regardless of where you stand politically, these are emotional times full of transition and change. How do we deal with all the emotions we experience as well as some of the more challenging transitions?  How do we maintain our emotional wellness?

Dr.Sithembile Mahlatini, EdD, LCSW,  who is a Psychotherapist, Author of 26 books, and motivational speaker,  was recently on the Wellness Woman Show.  She shared some wonderful tips on how to stay emotionally well during transition and change.  Here are some of the things she shared during her interview about staying emotionally well during difficult and challenging times:

• Slow down and re-evaluating your current life activities
• Review and enhance your gratitude about life as a gift
• Remind yourself about your abilities and resilience
• Accept the fact that we have little control over certain life circumstances
• There are times we have to accept the things we cannot change and ask for courage to change those things you can change 
• Create  space for reflection:Find time to allow yourself to reflect and emotionally process the transition so that you can better understand what exactly you are thinking, feeling and possibly fearing
• Eliminate your unnecessary spending
• Shar and exchange your resources with others
• Reach out for support and give support 
• Eliminate unwanted material in your life
• Make use of free-of-charge or inexpensive activities
• Manage your time in an efficient way 

Click here for Dr, Stem's complete interview on The Wellness Woman Show

To find out more about reducing your stress and increasing your emotional wellness go to
Wellness Woman 40 and Beyond Holistic Living and Wellness 

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10 Fun, Simple & Holistic Ways To Achieve Wellness in 2017!

The year 2016 is over (finally) and all of us are ready to move forward.  Many of us want to move forward and made commitments to get fit, stay healthy, and just feel better in our "skin".  While these are great commitments for 2017, sometimes we get stuck and need help on how to keep these commitments.

Here are 10 fun, simple, and holistic ways that you can do to achieve wellness for your,  mind, body and spirit in 2017.



Spend A Spa Day At Home  - at least once or twice a month take some time for self-care at home. Select a time when it is quiet and no one is around to disturb you.  Take a long bath with essential oils (Lavender, Sweet Orange) and perhaps your favorite bath salts. Put a special natural mask on your face, with cucumbers over your eyes and relax while in the tube.  Light some candles and relax. Listen to your favorite relaxing music. Pat yourself dry and apply your favorite body butter. Give yourself a pedicure and manicure. Drink some of your favorite relaxing tea and read a good book. Take some time to stretch your arms, back, neck, and legs. Pamper yourself, say loving things to yourself as you pamper your mind, body, and spirit.
(go to http://praiseworkshealthandwellness.blogspot.com/2015/06/how-to-have-awesome-spa-day-at-home.html for more suggestions on how to have a great spa day at home)



Try Clean Eating - eating clean is not as difficult as one might think. Basically, clean eating is eating
foods that are not processed or minimally processed, handled or refined.  Give it a try. Start first with increasing your fruits and vegetables ( go organic). Then begin to plan meals that are not using any processed foods. Cut down on as much sugar as possible, reduce your consumption of anything that is white (more than likely it has been processed). Refrain from drinking sodas and drink unfiltered juice rather than filtered juice. Clean eating is basically eating healthy and being aware of any processed foods that you can cut from your diet. You will be surprised how much better you will fee, and as a bonus, you might drop a few pounds!

Natural Hair Care - There are so many things you can do for your hair that is natural and healthy for your hair.  Using natural hair care products will lessen your exposure to chemicals, and is less damaging to your hair. Try some homemade hair conditioners and minimize the amount of heat you put on your hair.  Try a hot coconut oil treatment on your hair, or try a homemade shampoo.    You can find many natural recipes on YouTube, and on many sites on the web for all types of hair.

Visit a Salt Room - Salt Therapy or Halotherapy has amazing healing effects.  Some of the benefits include but are not limited to: improving mood, respiratory challenges, lymphatic system, reduced headaches and stress, increased energy, improved skin conditions such as psoriasis and acne. Salt Therapy is very popular in Europe and is getting more available in the United States.  Visit a Salt Therapy room at least once a month.  You will begin to see and feel the benefits!



Add Essential Oils To Your Daily Routine-
Essential Oils are so easy to use and should be an
important part of your wellness routine.  Essential Oils can be used for many health issues as well as emotional ones.  Essential Oils can help with weight loss, hormones, Diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, sleeplessness, focus, anxiety, stress, increased energy and much more.





Add Herbs To Your Food - Instead of using salt or other salty spices to season your food, try herbs. Choosing to us herbs can add wonderful flavor to your food. Herbs also have medicinal benefits. For example, basil has anti-inflammatory and anti-viral properties.  Turmeric can reduce inflammation.  Garlic has antibiotic benefits and helps to fight cancer.  Cayenne can increase circulation and reduce the risk of heart problems.  Look for opportunities to use herbs when cooking. You will increase the flavor in your food and increase your wellness.

Take Nature Walks -Take a nature walk at least once a week. Not only is taking a walk good for you but there are many mental health benefits to taking nature walks.  This activity can decrease depression, improve well-being, lower stress and anxiety, and improve your overall well-being. Being surrounded by nature has a calming effect. If possible taking a 15 to 30-minute nature walk after work or on the weekend goes a long way to helping you to relax and enjoy life.
.

Practice Gratitude - One of the most simple ways to increase your overall wellness is to practice gratitude.  Keep a gratitude journal and list those things for which you are grateful. At the end of your day before you go to sleep think of the things that happened that brought you joy and made you aware of how blessed you are.  Start looking for things to be grateful for throughout the day. The more you practice gratitude, you will begin to feel more positive. Your focus throughout the day will start to shift and you will find yourself looking for that positive, grateful periods throughout the day.

Do Something You Love Everyday - doing something you love every day doesn't have to cost anything. You might love reading a great book you have put aside for another time.  Perhaps you love crossword puzzles or preparing your favorite meal.  Whatever it is, make it a priority to do something that makes you happy, something that gives you joy, something that you love, every day.




Be Quiet and Stay Present In The Moment  -In this busy, stressful world, it is hard to just be still and quiet.  But that isn't true. We need to make the commitment that every day we will take the time to just be.  Allow yourself to be quiet and still. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, let it out slowly and JUST BE.  Listen to the sound within your body; listen to the birds.  Try listening to the breeze outside or feel the breeze going across your face.  Relax and let your mind, body and spirit be present in the moment.  Push back any thoughts about the future or the past.  Just enjoy that particular moment in time.  Allow yourself to feel the moment and relax.  Being quiet and staying present for just five minutes a day can go a long way in relieving stress, giving you a sense of peace, and re-energizing your spirit.

To find out more about how you can increase your wellness, reduce your stress and increase your joy go to Wellness Woman 40 and Beyond Holistic Living Academy

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7 Things We Tell Ourselves About Our Anxiety and Stress ...That Aren't Always True

There are myths about anxiety and stress we tell ourselves to get past those constant feelings of anxiousness, worry and stress. Some of these myths are:

“Everyone worries…”

“Feeling anxious all the time, is just a part of life.”

“Once I get past this challenge/problem, I won’t feel like this any longer.”

“This is just the way life is.  Everyone is stressed out.”

“There is nothing I can do to change how I am feeling.”

“Until all the problems are solved, I am just going to feel anxious.”

“It’s not that serious. This too shall pass.”  

In some ways, the above statements could be considered true.  Everyone does worry. Everyone does have stress and most people feel that once they solve all their problems, they will no longer be a victim of stress and anxiety.  

Statistics show:

• Women are more likely than men (28 percent vs. 20 percent) to report having a great deal of stress (8, 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale).

• Almost half of all women (49 percent) surveyed said their stress has increased over the past five years, compared to four in 10 (39 percent) men.

•  Women are more likely to report that money (79 percent compared with 73 percent of men) and the economy (68 percent compared with 61 percent of men) are sources of stress while men are far more likely to cite that work is a source of stress (76 percent compared with 65 percent of women).

• Women are more likely to report physical and emotional symptoms of stress than men, such as having had a headache (41 percent vs. 30 percent), having felt as though they could cry (44 percent vs. 15 percent), or having had an upset stomach or indigestion (32 percent vs. 21 percent) in the past month.

• Married women report higher levels of stress than single women, with one-third (33 percent) reporting that they have experienced a great deal of stress in the past month (8, 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale) compared with one in five (22 percent) of single women. Similarly, significantly more married women report that their stress has increased over the past five years (56 percent vs. 41 percent of single women). Single women are also more likely than married women to say they feel they are doing enough to manage their stress (63 percent vs. 51 percent).

•  Married women are more likely than single women to report they have experienced the following due to stress in the past month: feeling as though they could cry (54 percent vs. 33 percent), feeling irritable or angry (52 percent vs. 38 percent), having headaches (48 percent vs. 33 percent) and experiencing fatigue (47 percent vs. 35 percent).   

statistics from the American Psychological Association  

What is also true, is that you don’t have to always feel stressed, anxious, and full of worry.  There are things you can do to alleviate those feelings and start living a life without excessive stress and worry. 

When your stress and anxiety is at a level where you can’t concentrate, can’t sleep, you feel constantly overwhelmed and your life feels out of control, there are things you can do to make a change. 

I have been there and I learned how to overcome my anxious thoughts and stress using holistic method.   These methods (DeStressfirmations)  are taught in my online course DeStress TheMess.  In this course we talk about changes how diet, movement, EFT, essential oils, meditation, herbs, vitamin supplements and more can impact your anxiety and stress levels.

You don’t have to settle for the myths you tell yourself about stress and anxiety.  There are definitely things you can do that will help you live a life without continual feelings of stress and anxiety.

Click here to find out more about the course "DeStress The Mess"

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