I love to bake. I don’t remember at what age I began, but it seems I have loved baking all of my life. When I was in high school, thinking about my future, I considered becoming a baker, but then decided it would take the fun out of it for me to have to do it day in and day out. When I bake, it is for the joy of it, on my terms. For me, the process of stirring, rolling and creating is very meditative, and then watching the look on the faces of those eating my treats brings me joy.

Over the years, baking became my escape at times. When I was stressed, or needed time alone, I would bake, and I became good at it. Not professional quality, but good enough for people to ask me to be the one to provide dessert for holidays and gatherings. My specialty was Scotch Shortbread cookies, using a recipe from my Scottish grandmother. Even she was thrilled when I would make her some shortbread.

I never considered myself a food pusher. Although I always offered and it made me happy when people did eat my treats and enjoy them, I don’t think I ever went beyond a, “Are you sure?” when someone rejected my offer.

For decades I happily baked sweet treats on a regular basis, and even looked for reasons to bake for others. But, since being diagnosed with cancer and then learning about the effects of sugar, I only bake when I have a specific reason. You see, I have a hard time justifying making sugar and fat loaded items, knowing what it does to the body. I began asking myself why would I provide those I care about with something that may ultimately cause disease?

Instead I now want to provide people with food that nourishes them. And guess what? Preparing nourishing food to share with others gives me as much joy as watching the faces of those eating the sweet treats. Now when I go to gatherings I’m more likely to bring a colorful plate of veggies and a bean dip, or make a comforting pot of veggie soup for someone in need.

What does all this have to do with food pushers?

People who lovingly create food for others get joy and satisfaction out of watching you eat the food. Watching the look of, “Mmmm” on your face makes the time and effort worth it, which in turn, feeds their soul. But, there is a line between lovingly creating and offering food, and pushing it upon someone. Pushers cross that line and become insistent that you take a taste, or eat more, or even hand you food that you either didn’t ask for or already had stated you didn’t want to eat. They take the emotional satisfaction of providing food for others to a whole new level! Food pushers attempt to make your food decision for you.

Do you know a food pusher, perhaps at work or in your family? With the holidays people are making more food, and going to more gatherings and you are bound to encounter food pushers.

What can you do when a food pusher crosses that line?

The quickest and most effective way to stop a food pusher in their tracks is simply to say, “No, thank you,” and then change the subject. A good tactic in changing the topic is to compliment the food pusher. Imagine this: You’re at a family gathering and that well-meaning relative comes to you with a plate of her home baked favorite treat. Maybe you don’t like the item she is offering, or maybe it is not within your health goals, or maybe you simply are not hungry. It does not matter! You CAN simply say, “No, thank you. What a beautiful _________ you are wearing! It really matches your eyes.” If you don’t want to be quite that direct, you could say, “That looks amazing. I’m full now, but maybe later.”

Hear me loud and clear when I say, you do not need to explain yourself to ANYONE! You do not need to add an explanation to your response, Like, I’m not eating sugar right now. That will only elicit discussion and more pushing. But, giving the food pusher a compliment turns the situation around and will make them happy in the same way it would if you had eaten their creation. And you will get bonus points if you ask them for the recipe.

You see, people who make food for others put the L ingredient inside of it – that’s LOVE. Not eating the food that is lovingly prepared may evoke a feeling of personal rejection, even though the recipient is only saying no to the food and not the person. By showing the giver some love, they may not even notice your food choices. Coming from a place of love and appreciation, while still respecting your own wishes and boundaries, is the bridge of peace between you and the food pusher.

What is sugar anyway?

Sugar is a type of carbohydrate and it gives you energy. Sounds good, right? Not all carbs are the same! The two types of sugar, natural and added, are very different in how they provide you with energy.

The natural sugars are what you will find in fruits, vegetables and milk. The great thing about natural sugars in the fruits and veggies is that they also have fiber, water, and nutrients. With the natural sugars, not only are you getting so much more, but because of the fiber, the sugar is released slow and steady. This means a steady stream of energy, as well as the benefits of fiber, vitamins, minerals and water. You may be wondering about fruit or vegetable juices. If the juice is 100% juice, without any added sugar, it will contain some nutrients and water, but it does not have fiber. Fiber is really the key to the slow absorption of the natural sugar and prevent sugar spikes.

Added sugars are found in many processed foods that you purchase. Of course there is added sugars in sweet treats, but it is also hiding in bread, crackers, cereals, dressings and sauces. Anything made in a factory likely has sugar added for texture, preservation and taste. Items that are labeled low fat typically have more sugar to compensate. When foods that contain added sugar enter your body it gives you a spike of sugar – your liver gets hit with an excess amount of fructose and what isn’t used for energy turns to fat. Over time, excess fat in the liver can cause Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), which means the liver is not functioning correctly. Too much added sugar over time is also associated diabetes, heart disease and joint pain.

How much added sugar is too much?

The FDA currently recommends added sugars be limited to 50 grams, or about 12 1/2 tsp, per day for those consuming 2,000 calories a day. The American Heart Association, on the other hand, recommends women limit themselves to 25 grams, or 6 teaspoons, of added sugars per day and men limit themselves to 38 grams, or 9 teaspoons, of added sugar per day. There is more than 9 teaspoons of added sugar in one can of a popular soda!

The FDA is now requiring food manufacturers to list the amount of added sugars on the products nutrition facts label, but they have until 2021 to make the changes. By having the information consumers will be able to gauge their added sugar intake and make choices based on the information.

Do you want to learn more?

You may be wondering about all the different names of sugar on food labels. Or, is honey natural or an added sugar? I know it’s not realistic to significantly change sugar habits during the holidays, so if you are in the Twin Cities, I will be holding a class all about sugar in January 2020. Watch my social media for details, Facebook: Inspired Vitality of Minnesota and Twitter: @InspiredMN. Enjoy the upcoming holidays, in moderation, and in 2020 we will tackle sugar together!

Making healthy choices every day is hard, there is no denying that, but I can tell you first hand that going through cancer treatment is harder than any workout, or changing the way you eat. Yet many people follow a path of unconscious decisions that lead them to the consequence of disease.

Being in the midst of Pinktober, aka, breast cancer awareness month, I want to be sensitive to those fighting the disease. I know the onslaught of pink can be encouraging for some, while for others, it can be painful to be reminded of the disease that has forever changed them. My first October after being diagnosed I was angry at being surrounded by pink, and the reminders that came with it. I didn’t want to be in the pink club, and I hated that I was that one in eight diagnosed with breast cancer. I also didn’t like retailers benefiting under the guise of awareness. Where was the money going, really, I wondered. But, this year I decided it is my choice to ignore the retailers promoting pink products and instead put my energy into education.

Cancer screening is important, and if awareness months are effective, people will be reminded to get their screenings done. But, to truly prevent cancer a person needs to make conscious choices every day that brings them further away from the path of a diagnosis.

What can you do? What are the choices on the path of prevention?

First, move. Walk (or run, or swim, or dance) the path, literally. If you are new to fitness, always talk with a doctor prior to starting, and start slowly. Physical activity helps with weight loss, or to maintain a healthy weight, and it strengthens immune defenses. For women, excess fat cells produce estrogen, which help cancer cells to form and spread. Maintaining a healthy weight is ideal in prevention of an original diagnosis, as well as a recurrence. The immune system plays an important role in preventing cancer, as well as other disease. It detects and destroys abnormal cells, and most likely prevents or curbs the growth of many cancers, as part of its normal function. So many reasons to make exercise a part of your daily routine!

The next step is to limit alcohol. Alcohol increases estrogen levels and impairs immune function. While red wine is known to have heart healthy benefits, you can get the same benefits from eating red grapes and without the cancer risk. The World Health Organization division of International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that all alcoholic beverages are carcinogenic to humans. For some, completely eliminating alcohol is not something they want to do, but limiting the intake to one serving a day is recommended.

What is it about estrogen?

We all have estrogen in our bodies, yes, even men. Despite the symptoms, post menopausal women have some amount of estrogen as well. When it comes to breast cancer, approximately 80% of breast cancers are hormone positive, including estrogen positive. This means the cancer has receptors that respond to, or feed off of, hormones. When you put excess amounts of that hormone into the body with food and alcohol (yes, we’re getting to the food), it can cause DNA damage, which is the first step towards cancer. Even if you choose organic, grass fed animal products, the animals naturally contain hormones and you ingest them.

If you haven’t already guessed, the third step in cancer prevention is to choose plant based foods. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds all lower the risk of cancer in several ways. Not only do plant based have the ability to lower estrogen levels, they also provide your cells with a nutritional armor that protects against mutations. There are a great deal of various compounds in plant based foods that create an anti-cancer environment, so much so that rather than go into detail I will link you to reliable sources. If you want to dive deep into the scientific reasons for plant based eating, specifically for breast cancer, I highly recommend the book: Breasts – The Owner’s Manual by Dr. Kristi Funk and her website, https://pinklotus.com/powerup/ Additional resources I trust are: https://www.pcrm.org/ and https://nutritionfacts.org/

If you currently consume a standard American diet, drink alcohol and don’t exercise on a regular basis, following the path to prevention of cancer will take time and effort. The changes don’t have to be done all at once. It’s a step by step process! It is truly a conscious choice every day, and having been through cancer treatment, I choose to make choices that will reduce my risk of going down that path again. My sincere hope is you will learn from my experience and make preventative choices for yourself.

This blog is dedicated to all those who have experienced cancer.

Have you noticed I haven’t blogged in a couple of months? I hope so…that means you’ve been reading my posts! A couple of months ago I decided to start a live series on my Facebook page called My Story Sunday. While the series was great, the preparation time for each video took time, and something had to give, so blogging was put on hold. If you haven’t watched the videos, start with Chapter 1 here:
https://www.facebook.com/InspiredVitalityMN/videos/2423503381306498/

Throughout the My Story Sunday I provided hindsight tips and insight information, but I bet you didn’t take notes on this valuable information so here’s a list of the tips throughout the series. While the information is particularly relevant to those diagnosed with breast cancer, some of it can be helpful to those with other cancers.

Hindsight: If I’d only known then what I know now, this is what I would have done differently.

1. I would have tried a whole food plant-based diet prior to hormone replacement therapy for peri menopausal symptoms.
2. I would have asked questions about breast density when my earlier mammogram results made a notation about it. Questions such as; What does density mean? and, Should further testing should be done?
3. I would have joined an online support community sooner than I did, because I found it to be helpful with information and support. My favorite online community for breast cancer is: http://breastcancer.org
4. Post mastectomy I would have tried men’s v-neck t-shirts. (No excess material with men’s shirts. Women’s are made for breasts!) For a dressier look, prints and scarves are helpful with camouflage.

Insight Information: Random information I have gathered over the years.

1. Always make sure you are comfortable with your medical team, and if you’re not, explore your options.
2. There is much involved in whether a mastectomy vs a lumpectomy is recommended for a patient. Ask questions and know your options before making a decision.
3. After being diagnosed, try to have some cancer-free time each day. Spend time NOT talking about cancer, even if only for an hour.
4. To manage the post-mastectomy surgical drainage tubes you can purchase belts with pouches (some intended for showers, some not), or simply wear a hoodie inside out and place bulbs in the pockets on the inside.
5. If you are considering reconstruction, a great reference book is: The Breast Reconstruction Guidebook by Kathy Steligo
6. If you are experiencing a metallic taste due to chemo, try smoothies. You can put a lot of nutrition in them and the cool, fruity taste may be soothing.
7. If you know you will be loosing your hair and it’s naturally long, you may want to get a short cut to lesson the trauma as hair falls out. Some may choose to proactively have their heads shaved, and some salons will shave your head for free if your hair is falling out from chemo. It’s worth the ask!
8. Wigs, hats and scarves are all good options to keep you warm and comfortable with a bald head.
9. There are eyebrow kits with stencils to aid in drawing in eyebrows if you choose to do so.
10. Radiation is typically scheduled for a certain number of treatments and take place Monday through Friday.

There are seven chapters in the video series, so these are just the highlights. There is much more detail in the videos! Please check them out and comment with any thoughts or questions.

Our experiences become part of our stories, and to pass along what we have learned in the pages of our story is an invaluable gift. May your story end in health, joy and peace!

Gratitude is defined as: the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. When asked, “What are you grateful for?” many respond with; family, food to eat, a place to live. If, in fact, these are what the person has in their life. These basics; community, food and shelter are the obvious things we can be thankful for, but also what we most often take for granted. Imagine if you didn’t have just one of these three, how much harder your life would be! In reality, there are many who do struggle without the basics, and even if you are not exposed to it daily, deep down you know this and appreciate what you do have.

How can you live with gratitude?

Experts encourage people to keep a gratitude journal, or simply listing three things you are grateful for each day, in order to remind ourselves of what we do have. This is what I call living with gratitude. It’s the first part of the definition; the quality of being thankful.

What is living within gratitude?

Living within gratitude takes things a step further. It is the second part of the definition; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. What does this mean? Say, for example, you are standing in a line and the person behind you strikes up a conversation. You’ve already had a long day, you might be feeling a little grumpy, and would rather not engage. You do have a brief conversation, however, during which the other person smiled and showed positive energy. You feel better as a result, and when you reach the front of the line, you return the kindness to the clerk. What happened in this scenario is a mindset adjustment. When you make a conscience decision to pause, and allow kindness and appreciation to flow between yourself and others, you are creating an environment of gratitude.

Gratitude for material things takes a mindset adjust as well. It’s really hard, for example, to feel gratitude when your furnace breaks down in the middle of winter. But, pausing and remembering that there are those without homes who are either huddled outside or sleeping in a shelter can put things into perspective. Sure, there is time and expense involved when things break down, and it is appropriate to feel upset at the circumstances. Allow yourself to feel those emotions, and then think of others to gain perspective and appreciation.

Why is gratitude important?

The number one reason to live with and within gratitude is simply the more you focus on being thankful, the less time there is for negative thoughts. You create increased happiness and less stress for yourself and others. In addition, it has been shown that being more optimistic has positive effects on physical health. Gratitude could be one of the easiest steps to better health! And, once you truly live within gratitude, you glow. It’s the kind of glow that makes people feel your positive energy and want to know the secret to it.

It may not be an effortless transition!

Just because gratitude is one of the easiest steps to better health, does not mean the transition to a gratitude filled life will be effortless. (Certainly less complicated than finding time to exercise and cook healthy meals each day! All of which are important.) It takes effort to make in-the-moment decisions and adjust your thoughts. but over time it will get easier. Share the secret! Eventually, expressing and showing appreciation for the people, things, and experiences in your life, will become a lifestyle. It becomes a part of you. A part of the smart, beautiful, creative, kind, amazing, thankful you!

I admit it, I’m a suburb lady. I like to be close enough to bigger cities to have options, such as entertainment venues, but also have a little distance for less traffic and more safety. I like the convenience of being close to the stores that I frequent, and also like a quiet neighborhood. It’s not the city, nor the country, for me it’s just right. However, for 19 years I have had the honor of going to a farm weekly in the summers, and sometimes more, and I consider it my happy place. It’s funny, even to me, that a place I go to only ten to twelve times per year brings me so much peace and joy, but I think the infrequency is part of the magic.

This farm that is so special to me is Freedom Farm Therapeutic Riding Center in Waverly, Minnesota. http://freedomfarmmn.org The therapeutic horse back riding is for children and adults with physical, mental and emotional challenges. The farm also has Healing With Horses – a veterans program, and Freedom Academy – an alternative learning program and Accredited Public High School. Freedom Farm is located next to the home of it’s founder, Susie Bjorklund and while there are some staff, the farm relies on many volunteers for it’s programs, fundraising and operation. This is the what, and now I’ll try to capture the why.

Let’s begin with the drive. For me it’s about a 45 minute drive one-way to the farm. As city turns into country I notice myself taking deep breaths as I leave my daily environment and the sights take over. The sky becomes bluer, and occasionally I see an Eagle souring through it. The grass and trees are a deep, rich green. Without buildings in the way, the landscape stretches out and the cotton-white clouds look close enough to touch. The natural beauty calms me. As I drive past fields and tractors I think about the farmers and how grateful I am for their hard work to produce the bounty of food often taken for granted by city-goers.

Once at the farm, the sights and sounds are evident. There are riders and volunteers arriving, staff moving horses from outdoors to the arena, as well as a cat and puppy in their favorite spots. You can smell the hay, and hear the horses and goats. More deep breaths.

It’s the energy, though, that really makes this place special. Freedom Farm is love, kindness, friendship, healing, learning, laughter and respect, all mashed together into a calm, yet happy energy. The stars, among all this energy, are the horses. Their personality, strength and unconditional love creates magic. I have witnessed this magic in riders learning to talk, learning balance and posture, overcoming sensory issues..all while riding. Then when the ride is done, there is bonding between the rider and the horse during brushing, and hugs before departing. These large, beautiful animals truly heal, physically and emotionally. Here’s a link to learn a little more about about the horses. https://www.freedomfarmmn.org/horses-of-freedom-farm/

While I am passionate about Freedom Farm and I encourage anyone in the area to think about volunteering there, a happy place for you may be something completely different. Perhaps it’s a cabin, or simply a patio or deck outside your home. Is there a place you go to for soul searching? A place you find yourself going to over and over again? Whatever, wherever this place is, it should be a place of calm and joy. It is essential to a person’s wellness to create opportunities for happiness. Sometimes, I know, this is easier said than done and in this case, one could multi-task. Now I’m not encouraging you to bring work into your happy space, although doing work in a calm, happy environment would certainly make the task easier to complete. In the case of Freedom Farm, volunteers are in a joyous place, and they are providing a service. Perhaps there is a place you love, that feeds your soul, AND it’s a place that you can give to with your time.

Choosing a happy place may take some thoughtful, creative consideration, but it will bring you increased energy and focus, better sleep and better mood, and a sense of calm and joy. It may even bring you magic!

I consider myself a plant-based eater (mostly), but I haven’t always been this way. When I was a child meals were primarily meat and potatoes. We also often had vegetables and fruit, but animal protein was prepared daily. At my core I believe I have always desired more of a plant-based diet. I’m a very visual person and I recall times, even as a child, eating chicken for example, and having a hard time chewing my food as I visualized the animal. Visualization is one of the factors that has led me to eating more plants. To this day, thinking about where the meat has come from, and what the animal may have endured is enough to make me desire a salad rather than a burger.

My road from being a meat-eater to a plant-based eater, however, has been a long one. In my 20’s and 30’s I ate as I did when I was a child, which was an animal product the highlight of the meal, along with fruits and veggies as side dishes. In my early to mid 40’s I began experimenting with incorporating more veggies and trying vegetarian recipes. I still ate meat, but had begun buying organic instead of traditional, and it wasn’t the star of the plate. I also began eating meat free meals at least once per week. It was after my stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis, at the age of 46, that I really began changing the foods I ate. After doing my own research and then studying with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN), I transitioned to primarily plant based eating. I had seen and heard too much to not reduce my animal product intake.

Did you know that animals are given hormones to grow, and those hormones show up in the meat that ends up on your plate? For people who have had hormone positive breast cancer, avoiding the intake of hormones is vital for long term cancer free days. In addition to my concern of hormone exposure, I have seen videos about animal slaughter practices and that visualization has stuck with me. You cannot un-see these kinds of things! Then there is the added benefits of eating plants with their nutrients, flavor and phytochemicals. Not only do fruits and vegetables offer their own nutrients and unique flavor, but they also contain phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are a compound found in plants that are believed to protect cells from damage that can lead to cancer. That’s right…plants can help prevent cancer, from onset to recurrence! Not only can these cancer fighting properties be found in fruits and veggies, but also in nuts and whole grains. Here’s a link to more information about these cancer fighting foods: https://www.aicr.org/reduce-your-cancer-risk/diet/elements_phytochemicals.html

So why do I use the term plant-based, verses vegetarian or vegan? Let me break it down for you. Vegetarians do not eat meat, but will typically consume dairy products and eggs. Vegans avoid all animal products. This means they do not consume meat, diary or eggs, and also avoid animal products such as wool and leather. As a plant-based eater, my focus is to consume plant foods, and I do it for the nutritional and long-term health benefits. I also feel better when I do not eat animals.

Right at the beginning I did say that I was mostly a plant-based eater. I say that because the fact is, life happens. You may be at an event where there are not enough plant options to fill you up, and rather than go hungry you decide to consume meat. As a health coach, I will never tell my clients to eat one way or another. We are all individuals and have different needs. I may share the benefits of plants, but each person makes their choices, and my role is to educate and guide my clients through whatever choices they choose. I believe in doing the best you can, the majority of the time. If you think going to plant-based eating may be too hard, or over-whelming, take it slow. It took me decades! I encourage you to explore the benefits of plants, one delicious meal at a time!

If I asked you if you wanted to have cancer in your lifetime, I can say with certainty that you would tell me, “NO!” But, are you ready to take action to prevent cancer? I mean really ready to take action steps. If you are saying to yourself, “I’m fine,” or “I’m too busy to make changes,” then that tells me you aren’t ready, but if you recognize the importance of prevention, allow me to provide you with information to get you started.

I have studied Dr. William Li, who gave a Ted Talk on the subject of angiogenesis. In it he posed the question, “Can we eat to starve cancer?” His research provided the answer, “YES!” To back up, angiogenesis is the process our bodies use to grow and maintain blood vessels. When the system operates as it should, the system is in balance, or a state of homeostasis. However, if an abnormal blood vessels grow, they can feed microscopic cancers. We all have the potential to have microscopic cancer cells within our bodies, but if they are not fed, they do not result in disease. Dr. Li’s research found that eating a predominantly whole foods plant-based diet is effective at preventing the development of the abnormal blood vessels, and thus prevents cancer.

So where do you begin? Dr. Li wrote a book, “Eat to Beat Disease” and in it discusses foods that are naturally anti-angiogenic foods. These foods are the ones that block the blood vessel growth and inhibit cancer cells from developing into disease. Dr. Li found that some of the best anti cancer foods are berries and vegetables, as well as green tea, and yes, even dark chocolate (in moderation).

While Dr. Li’s book is a great resource, my take away for you is that a whole food plant-based diet has been scientifically shown to prevent disease. This does not mean you have to go 100% plant based today, for some, it may be a process. Any steps that you can take to incorporate plants into your meals, and reduce animal products will be progress. In addition to more plants, consider your physical activity, relationships and stress level. Where is your life out of balance? Do you need to increase your exercise, surround yourself with more positive people, incorporate meditation? All of these things, along with healthy meals do contribute to your over-all health.

Are you looking for more guidance and accountability as you consider making these changes? This is where I would love to partner with you on your path to long term health. Contact me at hhckatherine@gmail.com to schedule a complementary consultation!

In my last blog I wrote about self care and provided ideas for ways to incorporate self care into your day. I believe at the heart of self care is meditation. Meditation is simply regulating the dysregulation in your mind. It is not necessarily religious or about a philosophy. Meditation is intentional attention to your breathing, movement or thoughts to quiet external noise and bring you calm.

Why is meditation so important for your health? It’s all about the stress. Our bodies are amazing and help us manage acute stress by increasing our heart rate and breathing, as we prepare to battle. This is helpful in an emergency, but many people are living in a chronic state of stress, which is harmful to our bodies.

Symptoms of chronic stress include; headaches, muscle tension or pain, fatigue, sleep problems, irritability, overeating or undereating, and social withdrawal. These are just a few of the effects of stress on your body, mind and behavior. Left untreated, these effects can lead to many health problems, including; heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.

Studies have shown that mediation is effective in the management of chronic stress and can be in the forms of transcendental meditation, deep breathing, guided meditation, movement, and mindfulness. According to Transcendental meditation (TM) experts, it is simple, natural and effortless. It uses a mantra and is typically practiced twice a day for 15-20 minutes each time. It is taught individually by a certified teacher. There are many deep breathing techniques out there. Some believe in inhaling for a specific count, holding, and then exhaling for a certain count. Typically the focus is on the belly rising on the inhale and falling on the exhale. For beginners, guided meditation is a great option. There are many apps and videos for guided imagery. A technique called Progressive Muscle Relaxation, in which you tighten and relax muscle groups can be guided, or easily done on your own. Movement meditation includes yoga, Thi Chi, and Qi Gong, all of which are widely accessible through group classes or videos. Mindfulness as meditation may be more difficult for beginners. It requires you to be completely present in whatever activity you are engaged. The activity may be a shower, or craft, but the key is to focus on your senses as you engage in the activity, rather than letting your mind wander.

As a holistic health coach I believe there are many factors that come together to create your best health and I’m passionate about preventing disease with stress management. As Mother’s Day approaches I encourage you to think about the women in your life (yourself included) who would benefit from incorporating relaxation techniques, such as meditation. Life is busy and hard now, and it’s even harder when you are experiencing a major health crisis. I know this from personal experience! I can help you manage stress by incorporating techniques that will fit into your lifestyle. Contact me at hhckatherine@gmail.com for details.

Most Sunday’s on my facebook page, Inspired Vitality of Minnesota, I ask, “What are you doing for yourself today?” because I believe that self care is an important part of being healthy. We have to-do lists, but we forget to put ourselves on that list, and suddenly the day or week is gone. By not taking care of ourselves, we end up running on empty, and less able to care for others.

Self care simply means caring for your physical and mental health. It is also caring for your soul, your essence. It encompasses nourishing food, sleeping well, being physically active, and quiet and peaceful activities for a calm mind. If you sleep 8 hours per night, in 16 waking hours you have 960 minutes per day. Can you devote 10 minutes out of 960 minutes for you? Or more…are you worth 10, 20, 30, or even 60 minutes out of 960 each day? I say YES, you are worth it! Not only are you worth it, but when you care for yourself on a regular basis, you will find yourself in a better mood, and more motivated and better able to handle all your tasks and challenges.

If you are running on empty, you may not know where to begin, so ponder these questions. What makes you happy? What fills you with peace? I suggest you make a list and circle the items that you haven’t done lately, or that really stand out to you. Once you have the list, it’s time to take action, but I’m a realist. I know the desire to do things and the reality doesn’t always coinside. So, you may have to adjust your action steps according to your situation. For example, if you love to dance, but you have young children, it may not be realistic to go out dancing every Saturday night. But, you can turn on music at home and have a dance party! (A party of one, or more!)

If you are still stuck for self care ideas, here are some of my favorites:

• Listen to music
• Dance
• Reading/journaling
• Exercise
• Prayer/meditation
• Spend time in nature
• Stretch
• Cuddle with a pet
• Try a new recipe
• Plan a vacation
• Make a bucket list
• Pamper yourself
• Do a craft or build something
• Ride a bike
• Garden or visit a farmers market
• Go for a walk
• Watch funny videos
• Deep breathing
• Coloring or playing with kinetic sand
• Spending one-to-one time with someone you love

Today, while writing this blog I was listening to my favorite smooth jazz music. As I paused to listen to the music, I noticed that I was breathing deeper, it provided me with inspiration, and it made me smile. All this, because it feeds my soul.

The next time you start writing a to-do list, don’t forget about you. Practicing self care does not make you selfish! It’s self love, and if you practice self love, you will feel stronger, happier, and ready to take on the world!