Taking time to think through what is truly important to us is foundational in the change process, because is gives us a lens to evaluate our choices and the intrinsic motivation for meaningful actions!
In less than ten years I ran 21 marathons. On top of enjoying the running friendships and fun destination marathons, I was convinced that the health benefits were undeniable. Then I started to hear about “the bell curve” in exercise. Clearly being a couch potato was bad for my health, but could excess exercise be equally dangerous?!?
Back a number of years ago an ER doc we were having dinner with informed me that all taking magnesium had to offer me was diarrhea. Since then I have learned a few things… ER doctors might not be my best source of nutritional advice, and not only will it get rid of my muscle twitches during marathon training, but there is a lot of research to support its importance to our overall health.
Beyond my increased tolerance for running in the summer heat, there are incredible benefits to spending time in the sauna. In fact, there is a study that shows a 40% decrease in all-case mortality!!
The curcumin extract (yellow pigment) is its most studied active ingredient with over 9000 publications pointing to its expansive therapeutic value. Even though scientist do not fully understand the mechanism, lab studies have identified some key reason to consider adding turmeric to our routines.
The other day I forgot my work clothes and didn’t realize it until after I hopped out of the sauna at the health club. Since I had no time to go home, I ended up going to my teaching job in a running skort and t-shirt. That brought on a perfect opportunity for a sense-of-humor and some self-compassion.
Hormones, produced by our endocrine glands (i.e. adrenals, thyroid, pancreas and ovaries or testes), are essential for maintaining our overall health and well-being, because of their roll in communicating warnings and messages throughout the body in order to keep everything running smoothly. When our endocrine system is out of balance the sooner we can respond, the less likely we are to suffer chronic issues.
“Understanding the difference between healthy striving and perfectionism is critical to laying down the shield and picking up your life. Research shows that perfectionism hampers success. In fact, it’s often the path to depression, anxiety, addiction, and life paralysis.” points out Brene' Brown.
No matter what you call it…stream-of-consciousness writing, free writing, or spontaneous prose…there are some measurable benefits to freely writing without editing for a period of time.