5 Ways to Destress this Holiday Season

Let’s face it the holidays can be stressful.

Between finishing up year end at work, juggling holiday gathering, family, and loads of expectations it’s a lot!

To help you find some balance this holiday season, I’m sharing 5 ways you can destress over the next few weeks!

1. Talk a walk. This one is especially great when you have family or friends over and you need a little reset. Just excuse yourself and get some fresh air. The sun on your face, the fresh (hopefully crisp) air will do a world of good for your mental health.

2. Meditate. You’ve heard me talk endlessly about the benefits of meditation…and this is the time we ALL need to meditate. Breathe it all in, let it all go.

3. Movement. Move your body in some way every single day. This not only will help you sweat out the holiday cocktails from the office Christmas party, but will help you reset and reframe your mind and allow you to really enjoy this season.

4. Let go of expectations. People love to transfer their expectations onto you, especially this time of year. Let that shit go. It’s not yours. You only have to live up to your expectations for yourself, no one else’s (that includes your parents). The holidays are such a magical time, allow yourself the chance to soak it all in and let go of anything that is not truly serving you.

5. Just say no. I’m giving you full permission to say NO this holiday season. Say no to the extra holiday party, drinks after work, the community event, a family gathering, whatever it is…if it’s not a hell yes for you, then it’s a no. Let yourself off the hook.

I’ve had the privilege to work with hundreds of clients over the years, and have seen that much of our stress stems from our desire to live up to other people’s expectations. We get so wrapped up in meeting everyone else’s expectations, going to all the parties, seeing all the family, doing all the things that we forget to meet our own expectations.

At the end of the day you have to honor yourself and do what is truly best for you.

So I encourage you this holiday season to utilize the 5 tools above to keep your stress low, let go of the expectations, and really enjoy this magical season!

Photo By Jontel Chere

Holistic Skincare 101: How to Prevent Acne

I get a ton of messages and comments IRL and on my social media pages about my skin. People always want to know what my secret is to glowing, smooth skin? I’m not going to lie, part of it is good genes (thanks Mom & Dad). Although I do take incredibly good care of my skin, you could say it’s a hobby!

I have a pretty die hard morning skincare routine and evening skincare routine that I can share in a future post. (comment below and let me know if you would be interested in that!)

Today let’s focus on clear skin, and what it takes to be acne free. 

Our skin is our largest organ, whatever we put on our skin will ultimately be absorbed into our skin and into our bloodstream. This is why organic and clean beauty and skincare products are so important. The liver and kidneys are the two main organs involved in detoxification, so when we consume or ingest chemicals and toxins into our body (think toxic skincare) we make their job even harder. 

So now that you know your skin is your largest organ, let’s take a step back. My number 1 piece of advice, and the entire point of this post, is that NUTRITION IS KEY. 

I still stand behind the philosophy of “you are what you eat”. What we eat has such a huge impact on our skin. Dairy is one of the biggest contributors to acne and redness on the face. This is primarily because dairy, especially cows milk dairy, is injected with tons of hormones, antibiotics, and other toxins. When we eat dairy we are in turn ingesting these toxins, hormones, and antibiotics…gross! If you want to be grossed out even more…dairy is filled with blood and pus. In fact the FDA legally allows 750 MILLION pus cells in every liter of milk?!? How crazy is that. So yeah, dairy is terrible for your skin. Pus in your milk turns to acne on your face. 

Inflammatory foods are also a major cause of acne…think gluten and sugar. Both of these food groups cause major inflammation inside the body, redness on the face, and acne breakouts. Fast food is another big contributor to acne. Chances are your favorite fast food staples are loaded with gluten, diary and sugar…not only wrecking havoc on your digestive system but also on your skin. If you are suffering from acne try eliminating these foods for 21-40 days and see how your body responds…chances are clear skin is right around the corner!

Stress is another huge contributor to acne. Ever notice that you tend to break out more when there is a big deadline or exam coming up? It’s not a coincidence. In order to keep your stress down make sure that you are taking time for yourself every day. Go for a walk, meditate, journal, do some gentle yoga. Take time to move and breathe in a way that is relaxing and healing for your soul. This will help to keep your stress down, and will help to keep those unwanted acne flare up away!

If you enjoy posts like this and want to learn more about holistic skincare comment below and let me know!

Photo Taken By: Jontel There Photography

Peanuts!!

Peanuts are a super affordable - and highly nutritious - snack!

They are a wonderful source of vegan protein, and contain about 26 grams of protein per 100 grams (4oz or 2/3 cup). Peanuts are packed with vitamins and minerals, and are especially high in B-vitamins, potassium, phosphorous and magnesium. 

Peanuts are a great source of healthy fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats), which can be helpful in lowering your cholesterol and preventing a stroke and heart disease. 

This tiny nut is also packed full of fiber, which is why it can be helpful in weight loss.  (just watch your portion)

I always recommend that my clients eat a healthy balance of healthy fats, fiber and protein in order to keep them full and help them reach their goals - peanuts are an excellent source of all three! 

Did you know that peanuts contain resveratrol? Which happens to be the same powerful antioxidant that is in red wine, that’s right! Resveratrol helps with blood flow and can be helpful in stroke prevention.

Not sold on peanuts yet…no problem. Did you know that peanuts have the ability to increase your libido due to the high amounts of L-arginine in them?

Not all peanuts are created equal… and it’s best to find roasted peanuts, preferably unsalted, especially if you are concerned about heart disease. You can find all kinds of varieties in the store from chocolate covered,  honey roasted and even wasabi dusted, I believe simple is always best!

During quarantine I have been leaving a small bowl out in my office for my husband and I to snack on a few days per week. It’s the perfect afternoon snack to keep us fueled up and focused.