Truth time: I’ve been feeling pretty icky lately.   I’ve been eating poorly, not working out as much as I should, and feeling majorly stressed out.  I’m not exactly sure what the source of my stressed-out feeling is, but it’s there none the less…this tight feeling in my chest that makes it hard to breath that just won’t go away.   So time to get back on track!   Whenever I’m dealing with any kind of issue, I usually want it to go away as quickly as possible so I tend to tackle it from absolutely every side possible at the same time.  I don’t always know which avenue truly paid off, but at least that way SOMETHING is bound to pay off.   Anyway, I’ll be hitting this issue from all sides:  diet, exercise and relaxation 🙂

For diet, I really want to try to significantly reduce my gluten and dairy intake for one month, to see how I feel.  These are the two biggest culprits of inflammation in the body, and inflammation is the biggest source of health issues.  Just check out this article.  On that same note, I’m a big fan of the 80/20 rule.  80% healthy, 20% cheat.   If I mess up one day and have something I shouldn’t have, I don’t kill myself over it.  Let that fall in my 20% and better luck the next day!

For exercise, I have set a goal to do at least ONE THING EVERY DAY.  Whether that’s a high intensity workout, running, walking, stretching, or yoga.   Which leads me to my next point….

DO MORE YOGA!  Yoga is so good for you in so many ways, and one of the biggest ways is RELAXATION.   I also have a really bad back, which I have been neglecting lately.   Having a regular yoga practice is going to help with that tremendously.  This is also a great workout to do in the evening after the kids are in bed, when I would normally be too tired to do any other kind of exercise.   Check out Yoga with Adriene on YouTube.  She has any kind of yoga workout you could imagine!

Other ways I will work on relaxing is by having a weekly detox bath.  Adding two cups of Epsom salts to your bath water will help with detoxification and sore/tense muscles.  Even better, add a couple drops of essential oils to the salts to add an aromatic element.  My favorites to add to my bath are Lavender and Ylang Ylang.  I have also added a powder magnesium supplement to my routine before bed.  This is the kind I use. Magnesium (which is also found in epsom salts) supports over 600 chemical reactions in our bodies and aids in detoxification.  Some signs of magnesium deficiency include fatigue, anxiety, and muscle cramps.   I’m no doctor, so I can’t tell you that you are magnesium deficient, but it’s definitely a crucial element in our system that so many people today are lacking.

So go get your RELAX on this week 🙂