It’s that time of year!
One day we hit 50 degrees here in South Dakota, two days later we’re at zero. On Saturday we’ll be back into the 40’s. All of these temperature swings can wreak havoc on our emotions AND our bodies.
It can zap our energy.
It can cause moodiness.
Good News!
We are gaining daylight! Have you noticed? I certainly have. When my two Golden Retrievers start getting impatient to go outside at 6:30am, I see some daylight already.
Warmer days will be here before we know it. I’m ready for them. We can probably assume, though, that we’ll continue to ride the weather roller coaster along the way.
There are steps we can take to help regulate ourselves and stay on a more even track.
Exercise produces endorphins which are the “feel good” hormones. Plus, getting enough exercise tires you out and will help you sleep better at night. Go for a walk if outside conditions allow, or get up and walk around the house, do some stretching, find a yoga video on the internet that suits you, or simply run- in place, do some pushups, jumping jacks, go up and down stairs if you can or do some lunges or squats. Get out to a mall that allows walkers. Find a walking buddy and get out and move. Do you have a dog? They would love to accompany you on a walk!
Get outside! Taking a break from screens and getting outside for movement, sun exposure and fresh air also helps us sleep better and can boost our mood.
Take Vitamin D. Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin. It’s always good to have your doctor check your vitamin D levels. Quite often we are deficient, especially this time of the year.
Eat a healthy diet. Let’s face it. Our food is our medicine or our poison. It’s really that simple. Sweet treats, carbs, comfort foods….they may provide immediate gratification, but eating these actually make you feel worse. Instead, focus on a healing diet. Lean protein, leafy greens, and vegetable can help keep hormones in check and boost serotonin levels. Also make sure you are getting Omega 3 fats. Omega-3 fats can improve mood and memory. They also help you stay physically healthy.
In addition to these steps, I love to use my essential oils. These little bottles of pure power are like messengers to your whole body. Essential oils have a unique ability to penetrate cell membranes and travel throughout the blood and tissues. Some of my favorite oils are citrus oils because they are so uplifting. To wrap this up, I’m sharing one of my favorite oil rollerball blends that I carry with me.
I like to call this my Happy Camper blend…
In a 10 ml rollerball bottle mix:
10 drops Joy (a Young Living blend)
6 drops Ylang Ylang
4 drops Orange
4 drops Lemon
Top these oils off with a carrier oil such as Young Living’s V-6 carrier oil, almond oil, or fractionated coconut oil. Roll this blend over your heart, across your chest and on pulse points for an uplift in mood!
I really love using essential oils around our home. We’ve ditched scented wax warmers, candles and air fresheners and our health is so much better since we did! If you’d like to learn more, please reach out to me. I’d love to connect with you.
- 8 drops Thieves essential oil
- 8 drops Lemon essential oil
- 6 drops Oregano essential oil
- 4 drops Frankincense essential oil
- 4 drops Melaleuca Alternifolia (tea tree) essential oil
- Top it off with Young Living's V-6 oil and place the roller on the bottle.
Are you in the “prevent getting it” mindset? It might be time to think “What will I do WHEN I get it?” Even better, “How can I support my body now, before I get it?”
- Are you getting adequate sunshine and fresh air?
- Do you drink plenty of clean, filtered and fluoride-free water?
- How do you take care of your mental health?
- Are you staying active?
- Do you take care of your gut health? Your immune system depends on it!
- Do you eat whole foods? (think LOTS of fruits, veggies, green juices, bone broth and nutrient dense foods) Our Functional Medical Doctor recommends a Paleo type of diet.
- Have you reduced the toxins in your home? Artificial fragrance is in everything and is the absolute worst. GET.IT.OUT.OF.YOUR.HOME! Replace your scented candles, wax warmers, air fresheners, dryer sheets, scented fabric softeners, detergents and scented cleaning products. I have replaced all of the above with pure essential oils, plant-based cleaning products and clean, pure, safe self-care products.
- What supplements do you take?
- We all have to start somewhere, and baby steps add up to big changes.
Here’s a short list of some options!
- Vitamin D (Super D)
- Vitamin C (Super C Chewable or Super C)
- Melatonin (Immupro)
- NingXia Red (whole food antioxidant liquid supplement)
- Multivitamins (MightyVites for the boys)
- Mineral Essence (Combines the benefits of minerals with premium essential oils)
- Longevity essential oil
- Probiotics (Life 9 and MightyPro)
- Inner Defense (reinforces systemic defenses & promotes healthy respiratory function plus offers immune support)
- Thieves essential oil blend: diffused 24/7 in a diffuser and in a roller bottle; applied to our spines and feet every day and more often if we’re feeling off.
- Thieves Chest Rub
- Breathe Again applied to our chest area, RC and/or Raven in the diffuser.
- Do you take Epsom Salt baths? These can help pull out the toxins and ease the aches and pains. Aim for at least 30 minutes of soaking. Some lavender, peppermint and PanAway can be added to the bath for more support.
- Prayer & meditation to help manage stress.
- Do you get plenty of rest? Every body is different, but on average, 8 hours of sleep certainly helps you stay above the wellness line! A cool dark room, no electronics for an hour before bed and a quiet, calm environment to set the stage before sleep is also helpful.
There are plenty of ways you can support your health and adjust these suggestions for your own comfort. If you are curious about any of the products mentioned they can be found here or click on the "Place An Order" button up in the right-hand corner!
Just know, you are the only one in charge of your health and NO One cares more about your health than you. Empower yourself and make self-care a priority. You can do it! I believe in you.
Sending love,
Traci
This “please stay home” request isn’t all bad. I have enjoyed a little more horse time since we haven’t been running boys to Taekwondo, Wednesday night church, baseball or t-ball. This introvert is usually OK with being at home with my family. Life will start picking up soon though, they can start attending in-dojo classes next week! We may even get in a little baseball this summer.
While I can, I’m soaking up a little extra horse time. I hauled my mare to a nearby arena the other day, and while getting ready to ride this energetic, extroverted Horsenality ®, I thought of this little saying:
“A trip to the E.R. is not an option.” I’ve thought of this more than once lately.
Those who have known me a long time may have visited me in the hospital after a horse ride that hasn’t gone as planned.
There I was, riding my 4-H horse, Playboy, at my brother’s place out in the arena. At 18 years young I was not afraid of what can easily accompany riding horses….and that is injury. We were cantering circles and my English saddle, paired with me leaning to the outside of the circle, slipped. I can remember thinking, “oh no! I’m going to fall!” As the saddle slipped around to his belly, I fell. Playboy stepped on me just below my ribs and squished some parts that were not meant to be squished. Five days later, one ruptured spleen and one collapsed lung later, I was released from the hospital. I was “sentenced” to 6 long weeks of not being able to ride horse. I jumped back in the saddle (western) as soon as possible. I was excited to be back!
Anyone who rides horse probably has their own stories of injuries, broken bones, E.R. visits and more. If you haven’t fallen off a horse, you probably haven’t ridden enough. However, I’m not 18 anymore and the thought of serious injury from horses does change how I do things nowadays. I don’t bounce like I used to. Nor do I have any desire to pick myself up off the ground. Fortunately, I have gotten much wiser when preparing to ride. I’m grateful to have learned to teach ground skills and have actually learned to love teaching the horse from the ground, first. It’s improved my natural horse-man-ship and also helps me connect with the horse better. It helps them get over most of their silliness before I step into the saddle and they learn respect and to stay out of my bubble if I don’t want them there.
Still, there are days when even after playing with a horse on the ground, my sense of self- preservation can be quite high; so can my mares. She gets silly, I get tight, and that can be a recipe for injury…hers, mine, or both. It’s those days that I have to focus on my mindset.
Respond, don’t react.
See it the way I want it.
Energy flows where attention goes.
All are thoughts I keep at the forefront. If I focus on something I think the horse is going to spook from, then she’s probably going to spook. If I go into a ride fearing the worst, guess what? It doesn’t go well. Instead, I take a deep breath, oil up with some Valor ™, apply Grounding ™ to her and focus on how I actually want the ride to go. It makes a huge difference! I stay relaxed, she stays relaxed and we have a much better ride together.
That’s also a great life principle.
Focus on the good you have and want in life. Pay attention to what you’re paying attention to. Life is truly beautiful and amazing and we do have so much to be thankful for.
Enjoy your weekend!
