Rebounding and dancing to my favorite songs. By Debbie Deb, Lisa Lisa and Lindsey Stirling.
Hey it’s motivation to move and consider subscribing to my YouTube. I’m a student of life. I scarf dance and use finger cymbals here.
Give me some feedback.
Peace on Earth!!!
Love you sweetheart!!
Valeria 
Originally published on Naturallivingideas.com on March 21, 2019 By Jamie Larrison
Sleep can be hard to come by for some of us. With about 9 million Americans popping pills for better sleep at night, insomnia has become a major issue. And that’s not including the millions of Americans who have difficulty sleeping and aren’t taking sleeping pills. This sleepy time lotion though uses a relaxing blend of essential oils and magnesium to calm the mind and promote restful sleep.
Magnesium is necessary for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including nerve transmission and function. Without adequate levels of this mineral, insomnia or general restlessness can often result. Magnesium is naturally occurring in certain foods, however due to soil depletion, sugar consumption and poor diet, the majority of us don’t have enough.
Applying magnesium topically on the skin is a good way to supplement, as only 30-40% of consumed magnesium is actually absorbed by the body. Homemade magnesium oil is known to sting the skin a little, especially on the first few applications. By combining this with coconut oil though, it further moisturizes the skin and helps prevent the characteristic stinging.
You can make your own magnesium oil using our simple recipe here and we also have a great recipe for making your own magnesium rich sleep spray here.
Citrus essential oils are known to be uplifting and invigorating, so you may be surprised to see one used in a sleepy time lotion. Mandarin essential oil however has been shown to promote restful sleep. It’s commonly used with children, making this lotion a good option for all ages.
One of the most popular and most studied essential oils, lavender is well regarded for its ability to relax and calm. It’s also one of the most gentle oils and frequently used for young children. A review of essential oils for sleep was published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. The researchers found that lavender was the most studied essential oils for sleep issues, and no adverse events were reported.
Clary sage is similar to lavender in its effects, though the smell is often described as more pungent. This essential oils is calming and sedating to the nervous system, and helps to relieve stress and anxiety. Anxiety and nervousness can impede a healthy night’s sleep, making clary sage the perfect antidote.
Last week it was lazy way to fitness, this week it’s lazy way to intelligence. Are you noticing a trend? I wouldn’t say I am lazy but I just look at it as conserving energy. First off I’d just like to say that I don’t consider myself to be the most intelligent person on the planet. There is so much I don’t know. The more I learn, the more I realize that I don’t know. But I think I am smart enough and who can ask for more?
Being a health coach requires that you read and try to figure out what the heck is going on with one’s body and figure out an action plan to get where you want to go. I did graduate from college and was able to navigate my way through a difficult career in law enforcement without injuring myself or others and I’m just sharing with you things I’ve learned. This can make you smarter but the EASY WAY. Because who wants to do things the hard way.
This has got to be the easiest and the most enjoyable way to get smart. My father was a music teacher so we always had music playing and it was all kinds. Jazz, classical, latin, funk, disco, pop, Rock N Roll etc. So I naturally listened to music and I’m not going to say I enjoyed all of this music. Sometimes I wanted to run away because I was tired of hearing the same song over and over. I got tired of hearing drums, guitars,horns and violins at all hours of the day and night. But lucky you don’t have to experience that.
First off, what kind of music do you like? Start with that music and then you can branch out from there. Let’s just say you are a Beatles fan. I love the Beatles too. Go to Pandora or Spotify and put it on the Beatles Channel. Then listen to it. As you listen to the music maybe pick out one instrument to focus on. It can be drums, guitar or bass, whatever you like. And start to see when it starts, when it pauses, just get lost in the music. If you are listening to Pandora, it will start to play other similar artists, start listening to them too. When you listen to different music, your brain has to expand and create new neural pathways. Classical music is also highly recommended because it’s so intricate. I hope you can find some awesome music to listen to. (Isn’t that easy?)
The more you read the smarter you get. You don’t have to write a book. You can just find something you enjoy and get lost in the story. Reading is fascinating. Have you ever read a book and you didn’t want it to end? I used to read Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume when I was a kid. I felt like I really knew Ramona. She was my friend. When you can find something that really interests you…now you are onto something great.
I get it you might not like to read… OK audio books are your friend. Or maybe you might need to brush up on your reading skills. No problem… Go to the library and tell them you need help. It’s no big deal if you need help. That’s what they are there for is to help. They love helping people with reading. I promise you.
I love me some foreign language movies. Spanish, French, German, Russian, I don’t care what language it’s in but it’s cool to hear the different languages. But also you have to read the words in order to understand what’s happening. (A great way to sneak in reading) Also foreign langugge films are usually about another culture other than your own so you learn stuff by watching the movies. And then sometimes you learn about a fascinating era or setting. Maybe you decide you can write a better story than that person who wrote the screenplay. I love to watch historical era movies because I learn a lot. And sometimes you discover new and beautiful actors. Hey so far you’re listening to music and watching movies and getting smarter. Isn’t this great?? PS if you want to watch movies in your own language that’s fine too but maybe watch something a little different than you usually watch. Remember your brain LOVES DIFFERENT THINGS. YOUR BRAIN GETS BORED WITH THE SAME THING!! BE NICE TO YOUR BRAIN.
I can see you now watching a foreign flick as you slowly nibble on blueberries. Blueberries are just really great for your brain. I got this book Making a Good Brain Great by Daniel G. Amen, MD and he says blueberries are great as well as. This is a great book and I highly recommend it. He also recommends :
I know this isn’t the easiest part but at least you don’t have to make them from scratch. Just get them from a reputable company. And be careful with the fish oil because the oceans are really polluted (sorry I didn’t pollute it.)
PS The book also recommends exercise and meditation but that might require that you not be lazy so if you feel extra motivated or you’re already doing that, then you get EXTRA CREDIT for being AWESOME!!
PPS: He doesn’t like sugar and neither do I but no sugar sounds kind of “NAGGY” so I’ll just plant a seed. Sugar contributes to inflammation and who wants an inflamed brain? NOBODY!!!!
OK now go watch some movies and listen to music. And have fun sweetie pie!!
This might require a little work so that’s why I’m adding it at the end. But dancing is truly awesome for your brain. This is just a bonus but don’t feel pressured to do it. Just a little FYI. You can watch me dance and listen to a killer song too. Thanks for caring and I hope you enjoy it.
Originally published on Solzana.com on October 15, 2018
Baths rituals have been around since the beginning of time and are used all over the world in different cultures. Renowned for their healing and therapeutic properties, baths were used in ancient civilizations such as the Mayans and Egyptians for spiritual cleansing and meditation. Even if you don’t think of baths as a form of ritual, most of us have experienced bathing in some form. Whether you were a baby receiving your first bath or soaking in your kiddie pool to escape the heat during the hot summer months. These “bath rituals”, help connect with others and refresh the mind, body, and soul. All of us have benefited from some type of bath in our lives.
Baths truly have the power to purify the spirit and help manifest our wishes.
I am excited to share the below bath rituals that I use in conjunction with my manifesting spells and Reiki.
May these enhance your life and refresh your soul! Enjoy!
This bath is used when I feel drained and I want to boost my energy!
INGREDIENTS
While filling your bath with hot water, sprinkle the sea salt, lemon juice, honey, milk, & mint/lemon grass. Stir in well so that all of the ingredients dissolve. As you get towards the end of filling up the bath, change the water temperature to cold, that way to balance out the heat of the bath until it is at a comfortable temperature. Careful not to scald yourself.
Before getting into the bath, take time to imagine that the water is turning into liquid gold that is radiating light energy. Concentrate on the belief that your body will soak in this energy and increase your vitality as well as help you attract more of what you wish for. Like bees to honey, you will attract abundance, health, and happiness.
For those that are Reiki attuned: Channel Reiki energy into the water to increase the power of the above intention.
Get in, relax, and enjoy!
This bath is used to increase self-love and/or to attract love.
INGREDIENTS
While filling your bath with hot water, sprinkle the sea salt, honey, milk, & rose petals. Stir in well so that all of the ingredients dissolve. As you get towards the end of filling up the bath, change the water temperature to cold, that way to balance out the heat of the bath until it is at a comfortable temperature. Careful not to scald yourself.
Before getting into the bath, take time to imagine that the water is radiating green and pink color light energy. Concentrate on the belief that the salt is a cleanser. That it will help release past traumas, fears, and any negative thoughts or feelings towards any past relationships or yourself. Imagine that the milk & honey will help heal all wounds and help attract true love and healing.
For those that are Reiki attuned: Channel Reiki energy into the water to increase the power of the above intention.
Remember, you must love yourself before you can love another. Get in, relax, and enjoy!
Do you want to be more active but still be chill at the same time? OK this is the lazy way to be active but still chill. Great for recovery days or if you want to ease your way into an active lifestyle. Because who likes being jarred anyway?
When you wake up, if your first thoughts are thoughts of dread about going to work or feelings of fatigue, pause and just take a deep breath. Think of something you are really grateful for. You can just lay there and either pray or just think about some beautiful things. Unicorns, puppies, butterflies, swimming pools, water falls, the ocean etc. Breathe and think beautiful thoughts. (That was easy.)
Then you can still stay in bed longer but just start to stretch in bed. Stretch out your legs and breath. Just roll around a bit. Maybe stretch your legs. Slowly roll out of bed to standing. After you go to the bathroom, get a big glass of water and start drinking water because you haven’t had anything to drink in a while.
If you feel like it do some sun salutes but no pressure if you don’t want to. But this is a great time to do some. It’s great for you body and mind and your digestion. But if you don’t feel like it, no problem. But do give thanks for your practice.
Take a relaxing shower and just breathe and stay present. Put on some awesome music and throw some eucalyptus or rosemary essential oils on the shower floor in a spot where you won’t slip. I put baking soda on the floor of my shower and then throw the essential oils on that. As you shower stay present and deep breathe and again practice mindfulness and imagine the shower washing away any stress or negativity. There are shower meditations you can do too.
As you head out the door whether you are taking a bus or driving, Start to think about your posture and how you can make your neck a little bit taller and your begin to engage your belly button to spine. As you sit down squeeze your inner thighs together and also bring you shoulder blades down your back and list your chest. Practice good posture. Also make a deal with yourself that you won’t get angry at other bad drivers or rude people. They probably slept like hell and are having a bad day. Just listen to some good music and think about how awesome you are. A lil Bob Marley will make your day. Cuz every little thing is gonna be OK. If you want to drink coffee or tea it’s fine but cut back on the sugar and also make sure to drink a lot of water at work.
When you get to work park a little bit farther away. And as you walk in keep singing that song of yours. Don’t worry Be Happy or whatever song that lift your spirits. Stand tall with your abs in and walk slowly for 5 to 10 minutes. Walk heel to toe and look 12-20 feet in front of you as you walk. Walk with your head up and don’t look at the ground as you can strain your neck. Relax your neck, shoulders and back. Swing your arms with a slight bend and don’t arch back forward or backward. Wear some comfortable shoes. Get rid of those heels because they aren’t helping you sweetie pie. Be grateful that you have a job and that you have the ability to work.
If you work at a desk, it is an awesome take to get an ergonomic evaluation. To make sure that your computer is set at the appropriate eye level for you and that your keyboard is in proper set up. And then when you are working take period breaks to stand up and stretch your body, your neck, your eyes to look at the distance and then look back at the keyboard. Do eye circles, wrist circles. At least every hour you should get up and move around. Volunteer to run errands for your boss or anything that you can do to walk around. Sitting is now considered the new smoking. So get out regularly and often.
It would be great if we could have the perfect balance between standing and sitting. But of course that’s not always possible. But if you do get to move around, make sure you are standing and walking with good form and breathe a lot. Wear comfortable shoes do some calf raises if you get the chance, and keep your abs in as you walk and shoulder blades down your back with chest open. Be glad you get paid to be active. Double bonus you get paid to exercise!! Woot Woot!!
You might be unhappy with your work but remember to try to think happy thoughts. Breathe and relax as much as possible. You may not enjoy your work but that doesn’t mean you have to think terrible thoughts. You can think about whatever you want. Nobody has to know what you are thinking. You can think about unicorns, bunnies and puppies galore. Flowers, music, art, dance or your beautiful memories. Think about wishes that can come true if you dare to dream. DAY DREAM and often!! Picture yourself fit and healthy. What would that feel like? It might feel odd but stranger things can happen.
Freedom at last!! Be glad that you made it. As you walk or drive away, leave your work at work. Don’t think about work instead think about more happy thoughts. Listen to some beautiful music. Do you have a favorite song? Also you can have infinite favorite songs. Be a music hog!! If you haven’t listened to Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major by JS Bach, I highly recommend it. It’s over 300 years old. So very cool!!
Do you like to swim, bike, run, dance, clean, stretch, Tai Chi, Pilates, Zumba, kick boxing, Karate, square dance, tennis? If it’s something you enjoy, it doesn’t feel like exercise. Now let’s say you have a long commute and you’re just dog tired… no problem. If you have a family, tell them you’re exhausted and lie down and take a lil nap, stretch and relax. End your day like you started. Relax baby, you made it!! Try to take a break from social media and maybe listen to this song. Go to 2:30 if you don’t want to hear me talk.
Valerie is a Health and Wellness Coach in Northern California. She encourages everyone to follow their dreams and therefor enjoying life. This is a beautiful song if you can listen to it.
Originally Published on wellnessmama.com on January 23, 2019 By Katie Wells
Rebounding is an exercise I do daily, but I must admit that when I first heard about it, the idea sounded crazy. If you aren’t familiar with it, rebounding is basically jumping on a mini trampoline either in gentle bounces where your feet don’t leave the trampoline or in complete jumps where you rise 6 inches from the surface.
Glad you asked. Turns out that there are many benefits to rebounding (including NASA’s research showing that rebounding can be more than twice as effective as treadmill running).
The idea of rebounding has been around for a long time, but it gained popularity in the 1980s when NASA studied its benefits while trying to find an effective way to help astronauts recover and regain bone and muscle mass after being in space. Astronauts can lose as much as 15% of their bone and muscle mass from only 14 days at zero gravity, so NASA needed a way to help reverse this damage.
Some of the findings of the NASA study:
Many types of exercise are done to target specific muscles or just to increase cardiovascular function. Rebounding is unique since it uses the forces of acceleration and deceleration and can work on every cell in the body in a unique way.
When you bounce on a rebounder (mini-trampoline), several actions happen:
The action of rebounding makes use of the increased G-force from gravity based exercises like this and each cell in the body has to respond to the acceleration and deceleration. The up and down motion is beneficial for the lymphatic system since it runs in a vertical direction in the body.
Another study showed that the increased G-force helped increase Lymphocyte activity. The lymph system transports immune cells throughout the body and supports immune function. For this reason, rebounding is often suggested as a detoxifying and immune boosting activity.
Rebounding, since it affects each cell in the body, can also increase cell energy and mitochondrial function.
One of the major benefits of rebounding is its benefit to the skeletal system. Just as astronauts lose bone mass in space as a response to the decreased need for strong bones in a zero gravity environment, weight bearing exercise increases bone mass. Rebounding is especially effective at this since it increases the weight supported by the skeletal system with the increased G-force of jumping.
James White, Ph.D., director of research and rehabilitation in the physical education department at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), has explained how jumping for health offers a true physical strengthening effect to the muscles.
“Rebounding allows the muscles to go through the full range of motion at equal force. It helps people learn to shift their weight properly and to be aware of body positions and balance,” says White.
An advocate of rebounding for athletic conditioning, White uses the rebounder in his rehabilitation program at UCSD. “When you jump, jog, and twist on this [jumping] device, you can exercise for hours without getting tired. It’s great practice for skiing, it improves your tennis stroke, and it’s a good way to burn off calories and lose weight,” says White. (source)
Benefits of Rebounding
I mentioned many of these above, but here are the benefits of rebounding without all the science and sources:
Boosts lymphatic drainage and immune function
Great for skeletal system and increasing bone mass
Helps improve digestion
More than twice as effective as running without the extra stress on the ankles and knees
Increases endurance on a cellular level by stimulating mitochondrial production (these are responsible for cell energy)
Helps improve balance by stimulating the vestibule in the middle ear
Helps improve the effects of other exercise- one study found that those who rebounded for 30 seconds between weight lifting sets saw 25% more improvement after 12 weeks than those who did not.
Rebounding helps circulate oxygen throughout the body to increase energy.
Rebounding in a whole body exercise that improves muscle tone throughout the body.
Some sources claim that the unique motion of rebounding can also help support the thyroid and adrenals.
Rebounding is fun!
How to Start Rebounding
Essentially, it is as easy as starting to bounce daily. Most sources I’ve seen recommend rebounding for 15 minutes or more a day, though this can be broken in to multiple 3-5 minute groups.
Though rebounding is a gentle activity, it is best to start with feet on the rebounder and only gentle jumps and work up to jumping with feet leaving the rebounder.
Personally, I jump on the rebounder for a few minutes when I wake up, then dry brush my skin (both are good for avoiding cellulite) and then shower. I also jump on the rebounder a few times a day when I remember. I keep it in my bedroom, so I usually remember when I go in my room to fold laundry or change clothes.
There are a lot of different models of rebounders to choose from. The more expensive models are supposed to have better springs to reduce the impact to joints, but any small trampoline will work. Here are a few I’ve personally tried:
This Needak Rebounder from Tropical Traditions (the one in my room)
This Jump Sport Rebounder (a little cheaper) – One of my friends’ favorites.
A Stamina 36 inch Rebounder (cheapest option, only $36) – Another friend has one of these and likes it a lot.
Sources:
Journal of Applied Physiology 49(5):881-887, 1980
Human lymphocyte activation is depressed at low-g and enhanced at high-g.(NCBI)
Rebounding: Good for the Lymph System
Ever tried rebounding? Will you give it a go? Tell me below!
About Katie Wells
Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder and CEO of Wellness Mama, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.
Valerie tap dances to Oh what a Night. Then she describes her experience with dancing and why she can’t wear earrings. Valerie describes how she carves out time for dancing but prior to dancing she really has to focus on her core because it’s important for her strength.
In the USA there is a serious problem with obesity and preventable diseases such as heart disease and cancer. As a health Coach I see many unhealthy people in my community. Am I the healthiest person? Probably not but I started this Blog because many of my co workers were committing suicide and also have a shortened life due to stress. It just makes me very sad to see people getting sick and dying unnecessarily.
Because of the fast paced lifestyle, many people don’t have time to cook for their families and so they rely on the restaurants to feed them. Many of these restaurants are very unhealthy due to excessive, salt, fat and sugar. I’m talking about McDonald’s and Taco Bell etc. and they contribute to weight gain and your taste buds get used to all of the fat and sugar and then regular food such as fruit and vegetables just tastes very bland.
Over time people are developing disease such as heart conditions, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes. In order to stay alive, they must take medication in order to stay alive. The medications are very expensive. One friend has to pay $750 for one medication per month. This person worked very hard all their live and worked for 40 years for the Government. So now they have to pay $750 per month for one medication. That’s ridiculous!!
My whole point is that if we don’t take the time to invest in ourselves now because you “can’t afford” it, well guess what you are going to pay later financially and possibly with your life. It really saddens me to write this but we have to know that we have choices.
I understand that not everyone loves to cook. I don’t love it either!! It’s time consuming and then there is a big mess to clean up afterwards. I do it because I can know exactly what I’m eating and just feel better when I eat right.
First off, go to your doctor and get a physical with lab work to find out exactly what’s going on. If you don’t know where you are then you have no way to get out of the situation. Yes it’s not fun to weigh yourself and or get poked with needles. But you are worth it. Depending on what they say, you can make a plan for yourself. Most insurance plans have educational materials or classes that you can take. They want people to be healthy because it’s a huge expense for our health care system. So start there.
If you like to cook, start meal planning. But if you don’t, then look into a healthy meal deliver service such as Hello Fresh. With meals starting at $6.99 I think everyone can afford that. For the record I’ve never tried this service but I think it’s worth looking into as the food looks delicious. But you will have to clean up after yourselves because you have to cook it.
Another option is Fit Eats out of Sacramento, CA. This one you don’t have to cook or clean. Again I have never tried this but I know people who have and they seem to enjoy it. There is also Blue Apron which I have never tried either. These are suggestion because drastic times calls for drastic measures.
There are counselors, dietitians, personal trainers that are waiting to assist you as you learn how to change your habits. Everything is a habit but you can change your habits. It takes about 21 days to change a habit. Will it be easy, no but you are so worth it. And it’s understandable if you cannot afford these services. But I know plenty of people going to football games, going out to bars, concerts, having multiple houses, RV’s etc. They can afford it but they are not valuing their own health. It’s obviously a personal choice for these people. It’s not about looking good in daisy dukes. It’s about your HEALTH.
It might be hard for you to make changes but hopefully you can think about your children. They need you more than you know. The world needs you too. Let’s get this taken care of now and then you can look back and say, man that was hard work but hey I am feeling so much better now. Ask yourself what you are willing to commit to. You can do it!!
I finally got my finger cymbals sewn to fit my fingers (thanks mom). It’s not as easy as it seems. I got this cool skirt and snake bracelet from my friend Jane who is a professional belly dancer. I think it has good mojo and came from India. So this is my first video where I use the finger cymbals.
The song is Dorset Perception (Total Eclipse Remix) by Shpongle. It’s a cool jam. They are out of the United Kingdom and I found their music on Pandora.
Check out the black unitard I am wearing you can find it at the Yoga Outlet. It’s really comfortable and you don’t have to find a top and pants anymore and don’t worry about a bra either because it has really good support.
Have fun no matter what!!
Originally Published on Webmd.com By
From green tea to hibiscus, from white tea to chamomile, teas are chock full of flavonoids and other healthy goodies.
Regarded for thousands of years in the East as a key to good health, happiness, and wisdom, tea has caught the attention of researchers in the West, who are discovering the many health benefits of different types of teas.
Studies have found that some teas may help with cancer, heart disease, and diabetes; encourage weight loss; lower cholesterol; and bring about mental alertness. Tea also appears to have antimicrobial qualities.
“There doesn’t seem to be a downside to tea,” says American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Katherine Tallmadge, MA, RD, LD. “I think it’s a great alternative to coffee drinking. First, tea has less caffeine. It’s pretty well established that the compounds in tea – their flavonoids – are good for the heart and may reduce cancer.”
Although a lot of questions remain about how long tea needs to be steeped for the most benefit, and how much you need to drink, nutritionists agree any tea is good tea. Still, they prefer brewed teas over bottled to avoid the extra calories and sweeteners.
Here’s a primer to get you started.
Tea is a name given to a lot of brews, but purists consider only green tea, black tea, white tea, oolong tea, and pu-erh tea the real thing. They are all derived from the Camellia sinensis plant, a shrub native to China and India, and contain unique antioxidants called flavonoids. The most potent of these, known as ECGC, may help against free radicals that can contribute to cancer, heart disease, and clogged arteries.
All these teas also have caffeine and theanine, which affect the brain and seem to heighten mental alertness.
The more processed the tea leaves, usually the less polyphenol content. Polyphenols include flavonoids. Oolong and black teas are oxidized or fermented, so they have lower concentrations of polyphenols than green tea; but their antioxidizing power is still high.
Here’s what some studies have found about the potential health benefits of tea:
Julie Edgar is a freelance journalist who specializes in health, business, and legal issues reporting. She writes news, features, and columns on subjects ranging from rheumatoid arthritis in the workplace to intelligent dog breeds to thorny lawsuits to corporate environmental initiatives. She is a frequent contributor to WebMD, Courthousenews.com, and AnnArbor.com. Before going freelance, Edgar worked as a news reporter and editor. She lives in the Detroit area with her husband and two sons.
