Autumn Wellness

Photo by Inga Seliverstova on Pexels.com

Hello my sweet mindful health conscious friends,

It has been a minute since I have written. I am glad to be back and hope I can add value and new tools to inspire or renew your motivation in your mindful health journey. In the next few weeks I will be sharing more Fall content, which includes, Fall fitness, Fall productivity, Fall Mindset, how to activate happy hormones, and more. 

Autumn feels very much like a fresh start to slow down and get some rest, but it is also a great time for taking a close look at your mindful eating and lifestyle. Use this season change as an opportunity to consider your priorities, set intentions, and work on improving your whole person wellness while also enjoying your life in the changing of the foliage. Unless you live on the southern coast of South Carolina, that will be another month or so, but the sentiment is there. 

Set New Intentions

As the season begins, start setting some new intentions to really tasting your food and paying attention to hunger cues. You can use the previous months as inspiration for what changes you want to make and how you want your mindset to change. Write down what goals and ideas you had earlier in the year, and cross off everything you completed. You then might have some goals that no longer fit where you are now.

Remember intention is not just about your eating and fitness goals, but changes you intend to make in your life and how you want to shift your mindset. For slowing down, this might include slow cooking some autumn squash, scheduling in self-care, or rest, or committing to a better work-life balance.
 

Work Smarter, Not Harder

It is great to be productive throughout this season, but don’t just keep running your energy tank until it’s on empty. Develop some habits that help you work smarter, not harder, like cooking once, eating twice. For some people, this includes time blocking or focusing on just one task at a time, for others it is about doing the most difficult tasks in the beginning of the day. 
 

Commit to More Self-Care and Downtime

As you begin slowing down in the fall, make time for more self-care and rest. Some adjustments will need to be made to your daily schedule as you of course still have responsibilities. But chances are, there is time for rest, you just hadn’t really considered it yet. Do you typically work a little past clockout time, or are you dedicating too much time to busy work that isn’t really a priority? This is where you know you can schedule in some more self-care time.
 

Get Outside Every Day

THIS IS BIG. Try to find more opportunities to get outside, and enjoy the fresh air. Nature is wonderfully healing and can be really therapeutic in the fall. This is when the temperature tends to be the mildest of the year, where you are past the summer heat wave, but winter frost hasn’t started yet. Enjoy the forest, or woods near your house, take your kids to the park, or go to the beach or lake. 

Until next time.

I am here for you every step of the way,

Lynne

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Cacao – The Benefits of Superfoods

If you take out the extra sugar content that dark chocolate contains, you’re left with the good stuff – pure unadulterated cacao.

Cacao is believed to be a super beneficial medicine with more than 300 beneficial compounds. The bad news here is that many of the products that are made from cacao destroy their beneficial qualities through processing, cooking, or refining them. Most milk chocolate bars, for example, are more sugar and hydrogenated oils than they are cacao. Look for high levels of cacao and a minimum of processing.
Cacao has been shown in studies to increase the levels of neurotransmitters that specifically help us to feel happier and give us a positive outlook on life. The cacao benefits include:
• Serotonin – Raw cacao increases the levels of serotonin and acts as a natural antidepressant.
• Endorphins – Cacao also increases the secretion of endorphins which leads to a sense of well-being.
• Anandamide – Sometimes called the “bliss” chemical. Raw cacao has a compound that increases the levels of anandamide in the brain and enzymes that slow the breakdown of anandamide. This helps to give us longer periods of relaxation.
• Phenylethylamine (PEA) – This natural compound is made and released by the brain when we are in love. PEA is an anti-depressant, mood elevator, and helps to increase our levels of alertness and focusing abilities.

Feel free to sign up for my newsletter for more great tips and get your free copy of To Always Feel Great In Your Little Black Dress http://eepurl.com/dtZU59