Today’s Health Tip

Find some purpose in this madness

Today I talk about getting busy to clean put closets and pantries and see what I can do to share what I've got with others who have not.

It has filled me with a sense of purpose and it feels WONDERFUL.

Can you find a greater sense of purpose or meaning in this messy time?  Go for it! It  feels so guud!

Connecting to the earth on Earth Day

Earth Day on quarantine, how to connect?

1. Get outside today for walk, hike or run

2. Dig in the dirt.  Get your garden beds or containers ready for planting.  Start your seeds indoors. Cultivate.

3. Plant trees, seedlings, native plants.

4. Pick a trail and clean it.  

5. Make some simple changes and better household choices to support less waste, recycling and upcycling!

HAPPY EARTH DAY!!

Are you remembering to take your supplements?

Back to basics and one of pillars of wellness for me is vitamin/mineral/herbal supplements.

I have a cabinet full of supplements that I rotate through.  Much of what I take is based on red blood cell nutrient testing thru my functional medicine doctor.

I find that I will get into a good routine of remembering what to take and when but then I'll fall into a rut of forgetting.  How to get out of that rut?  Mix up the routine!  I like to leave a few supplements that I take in the evening on my bedside table.  The ones I take in the morning go next to my toothbrush and the ones I take with food (multivitamin and b-complex) are in the kitchen.  When I mix it up I put them all together in a cardboard box and visit that a few times a day.

Today I am going to go through my supplements and change things up a bit.  How about you?

 

PS  Most of the supplements I use can be found here:  www.theguudcompany.com/shop  (it's not a store, just an amazon list)

Consider your oral health

Just reminding us all about the basics of wellness all week here.

Today - consider your oral health.  Direct from my dentist - avoid popcorn which is a major cause of broken teeth.

Listen in today about the gross way to learn about flossing and why it's important.

Start with a new toothbrush.  It's probably time, check the bristle ends for any fraying. 

Avoid toothpaste with flouride...it's a neurotoxin.  Don't believe me?  Read this: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/documents/tsca_21_petition_hfsa_2013-04-22.pdf

Now, go brush and floss.  xo 

Cooking and cooking and more cooking

Wow we are all doing so much cooking and I'm so proud of us.

This is just a reminder to try to use up what you've got before buying more.  A simple way to do this is to use an app like Yummly www.yummly.com 

You can input random ingredients and their algorithm will spit back recipes you can make with what you have on hand.  You can also set parameters like low-fat, low-carb, vegetarian etc.

Remember too that if you don't bring junk food into your house you won't be able to eat junk food.  Buy fresh foods, take the time to make healthy snacks and meals.  

We got this!

Back to the breath

This week we are back to basics and to the breath.

Anytime you feel anxious or worried come back to the breath.  3 deep breaths - 4 seconds in through the nose HOLD and then 7 seconds out through the mouth 3 times through.  It takes less than a minute and can reset your parasympathetic nervous system and bring a sense of relief.

Try it now and make it happen at least three times today.

Come back to the present and start with the breath.

Journal your experience.

Back to basics all week here.

This is a reminder that writing down your thoughts and feelings is great for so many reasons.

Use it as a way to reflect; writing about your daily thoughts and feelings is great therapy.  You can look back on this time and really understand how it affected you.

Use it as a gratitude journal.  When times are tough and we can find gratitude in little things it can change your outlook.

Doodle, make lists, just write in it daily.

My favorite is an unlined notebook from the company Moleskine with a hard cover - about $14 on Amazon here: https://bit.ly/GuudMoleskine

 

Start with Stretching

Let's take it all the way back to the foundations of our wellness this week.

For me that means: Movement, Hydration, Sleep, Clean Eating and Mindfulness...we will review them all.

This week we focus on movement.  What are you doing to move, to get strong, to really feel good in your body?

I am loving the Peloton online workouts.  If you have no equipment you can do the yoga and stretching classes.  Download the app and go for a run outside with coaches cheering you on.

It's free for 90 days and today I encourage you to start there....just pick a 10 minute stretching class or yoga or core strength work.

Go check it out here: https://www.onepeloton.com/ 

I promise you will feel better for it.

Today, get back to it

Happy Friday - how far we have come.

From the great unknown and the need to plan and over schedule our days at the beginning of this Pandemic a few weeks ago.... And that went out the window after 3 days.  Then chaos ruled as we gave into not being able to make any sense of anything.....but that didn't work either.  And now we are back in the middle.

We have stuff to do.  We can use this time to better ourselves.  Now is not the time to give up on your wellness.

Remember who you want to become, what wellness goals you have in mind and let's work towards them.

Together. Simple Changes. Better Choices.  Everyday.

Today, pay it forward.

Doing things for others has always made me feel better when I am feeling down.

Thanks for my friend Rachel for starting a Pay it Forward exchange in our local friend group.  She dropped off a note and a gift at my front door the other day with a note to pay it forward.  So I will....

It's a little way to share a virtual hug.

Today consider how you can surprise a friend with a virtual hug; send a greeting card, drop off a little gift, send someone a book.

Make someone smile today - it will make you smile as well.

Today, with patience and grace.

And we keep going.

It is not time to abandon all of the little changes we have made...carefully tweaking our wellness practices together.

Instead, it is time to continue to drink all the water and take the supplements and eat more whole foods.  To take care of ourselves to the fullest.

Today practice patience with yourself.

See yourself as a little child and nurture the needs of that little child today.

Feed them something healthy when hungry.  If a nap is in order then do so.  Take a bath, play outside. If only spending a few minutes on these simple activities throughout the day if time is tight or luxuriate longer if you are blessed with the time.

The message now is loud and clear....take care of ourselves and then each other.

Today, only better than yesterday.

Hey friends, still here with you.  Still working on my wellness and working to be better than I was yesterday.

Still here being patient with myself and others.  Breathing my way through this.  Exercising more days that not even if it means just a 10 minute walk.

Still making healthy decisions regarding meals and snacks. 

We are in the middle of this; it's no longer new.  Quarantine is real.  A new normal is appearing.  Is it ok with you?  What still feels uncomfortable and should you yield to it or make some shifts?

Something to noodle today.     xo Melissa

Lyme Disease Part 3: Rash or No Rash & Permethrin

First off - it's Thursday but was sure it was Wednesday when I recorded this :) but I was too tired to re-record this so there you go.

Today I talk about the fact that you DO NOT need to have a bulls eye rash to have Lyme Disease but if you find one get yourself to the Dr. for antibiotics STAT.

Over on Instagram I will show you how to use Permethrin Spray on clothing (ONLY ON CLOTHING!!) www.instagram.com/theguudcompany

You can buy the spray on Amazon here www.amzn.to/PermethrinGuud

Hang in there friends!

 

Lyme Disease Part 2: When you find a tick on you

Tick checks after being outside are IMPERATIVE.

If you can pick a tick off of your skin cleanly that means it hasn’t bitten you yet…

If you find a tick attached or imbedded in your skin here’s the Scoop.

Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible.  It will be face first burrowing into your skin. 

Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don't twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, try to remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.

After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.

Avoid folklore remedies such as "painting" the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly, or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin. Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible–not waiting for it to detach.

WHAT TO DO WITH IT

Place the tick it in a ziplock and write the date on it with a Sharpie pen; place a small wet piece a paper towel in bag with tick. 

If you suspect the tick has been attached for awhile you might want to send it into a lab to be tested for tick borne diseases which is easier that waiting for symptoms of Lyme to appear.

www.tickreport.com   $50-200 results in 3 days

Tomorrow and Friday I will teach you prevention strategies including Permethrin spray for clothing, what to use on skin and how to make tick tubes to keep the tick population on your property down.

Let's all stay home

Please stay home.  Even if you feel well.  Many of those who feel fine are carriers of Covid-19 and are spreading it rapidly.

I highly recommend the Brene Brown Podcast to help you get centered. https://brenebrown.com/unlockingus/

This week I want to teach you about Lyme Disease.  I have had chronic Lyme for 10 years though currently in remission.

We will talk about what it is, how you get it and most importantly how to protect yourself.  This week is a must listen for people and parents who are getting outside more during this pandemic.

The book I recommend is by Richard Horowitz called "Why Can't I Get Better?" here: amzn.to/GuudLymeBook 

The OURA Ring

Listen in today about my Oura Ring and how UCSF is doing a great study with Oura wearers to track symptoms and body temperature throughout the Covid Virus Pandemic.

www.ouraring.com

Info on the TemPredict UCSF study here: https://ouraring.com/ucsf-tempredict-study

 

It takes a breakdown to have a breakthrough.

Keep your chins up friends and look for the breakthroughs that are coming. On every level things are shifting, we need to be flexible and move through it.

Our environment and Mother Nature get a second to pause as we all slow down.

Our collective pace as a civilization has slowed creating time.

Our communities grow stronger as we take care of each other.

Our families bonds are becoming tighter through this shared experience.

We are making time for ourselves.  Exercising, eating well, sleeping more, meditating.

Everyday is a series of breakdowns and breakthroughs.  We just keep marching forward.

Stay well.  xx Melissa

Take it back to basics

Let's remember all the work we have done together this year for our wellness.

First foundation is hydration.  How are you staying hydrated at home?  It is easiest and safest if each member of your household uses a refillable water bottle that is different from all others.  No one will mix up glasses and risk contamination, you will know how much water you are drinking and if you should be drinking more (shoot for at least 60 ounces of pure, filtered water each day) and best of all there will be less glasses to wash.

Next, double check your supplement stash and order more if needed.  I am taking Zinc, Vitamin D3 with K2, a multivitamin and Vitamin C each day.  I am going to show you today over on instagram (www.instagram.com/theguudcompany ).

Move your body and work on your breathing.  COntinue to stay present - we are doing this.  One day at a time.

PS. I created an Amazon list with all the products I use/have used and recommend.  I continually add to it.  Here is the link: http://bit.ly/WellnessWarriorChecklist 

 

 

well warr list

New times require new skills. And quiet.

Seems we are all so busy trying to stay busy when perhaps what we should do is learn to be OK with quiet.

We are using old skills and coping mechanisms to try to navigate a totally unknown and wildly uncertain time.  As we adapt and adjust we will build new skills but in the meantime we need to be patient and quiet and let it come.

Listen in today and think about spending some time later today in reflection, in nature, in quiet.

Stay well.  xxMelissa