I was recently contacted by Vega regarding their new wellness program. Starting Monday, July 18th I will embark on a 30-day wellness journey, called Thrive in 30, to begin reaching new levels of health, strength and vitality. I will be blogging about my experience along the way, providing you with updates throughout the week.
What is Thrive in 30? Thrive in 30 is a series of 12 video lessons over the course of 30 days, with vegan Ironman triathlete, Vega formulator and best-selling author, Brendan Brazier. Brendan reveals the commonly held myths about plant-based nutrition, and offers tools to harness plant-based whole foods toward total body health.
My First Trip To Philadelphia (that wasn’t to the airport), sadly not for HLS, however we will be with two of our good friends.
Five Blogs I Have Been Reading Lately (just a few I have a million in my reader and I’ll do this more regularly so don’t feel let out)**:
Anywhere There’s An Airport I was first introduced to this blog via Kristen’s guest post over at PB Fingers and I fell in love with the blog instantly. Kristen writes about her life which involves living in Madrid my old home for 2 months the summer of 2004. It is a place I have always wanted to travel back to but haven’t made it back so until then I live vicariously through Kristens posts.
Pure2RawI have been reading the Twins blog for awhile now and I just love how it has developed and evolved. I love the features on their life, workouts and recipes. If you are looking for some really great healthy recipes both raw and cooked visit their blog.
Eating Bird FoodBrittany’s who is a current IIN student has a wonderful blog that focuses in on healthy living more specifically wonderful food. Check out her recipe for Massaged Kale Salad– SO good!
Healthy Ashely I love to read Ashley’s blog because she is open and honest and doesn’t apologize for who she is. I love reading about her active adventures (running, hiking, yoga, ect), the wonderful places she gets to eat in Asheville and about her upcoming wedding. You can read her vegan wedding tips here.
Healthy Balance, Healthy LifeA shout out to my local blogger and new friend the crazy Allie. Her blog features her life unedited- she is a crazy ball of energy and always has something entertaining to say.
** I would like to note that I decided to remove my blogroll. I just feel like it isn’t 100% up to date and I hate that I might be forgetting people so I have decided to feature 5 different blogs each week. I hope you enjoy this!
Five Things I Am Loving:
Running- I am addicted!
The Broads– We have Sirius/XM in our car right now and I listen to them every morning on my way to work. They are hilarious.
Salads- I have a love hate relationship with salads. I either want them all the time or I don’t want them at all. Currently we are in love.
Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt. Addictive. period.
My Husband. I know I love him all the time but right now I just wanted to express my love for him because he has been ridiculously supportive during the crazy time. XO.
Lastly, I just wanted to encourage you to read my Yoga Aid Challenge post and donate any products (gently used or new) or services to my auction to raise money for Off The Mat.
What are 5 things that you love right now? What are your favorite blogs?
This morning the Hubz and I had intended on getting up early to run before heading to Montpelier to watch Allie and Caitlin’s race but after a late night out at a concert we decided that a little extra sleep was a better idea. Once we finally rolled out of bed we headed on our way but first we made a pit stop at a new coffee shop Maglianero Cafe for a coffee. This new coffee shop is really a beautiful place and it is bike friendly. I got a hot drip coffee and the Hubz an iced coffee- both were amazingly delicious.
After our coffee we made our way to Montpelier just in time to see Allie and Caitlin at the first start of the race. While we waited for them to make the loop back to the finish we headed to our favorite Capitol City Farmers Market to pick up some veggies and our favorite bookstore Bear Pond Books. Around 9:30 am we headed to the race finish line and watched as runners began to arrive and waited to cheer on Allie and Caitlin.
At the start of their run (girls in pink)
Around 43 minutes I turned to Neil and said they’ll be here in 10 minutes, that’s my guess. Well guess what- I WAS RIGHT ON! Allie and Caitlin turned the corner at 52 minutes and some seconds and they leaped across the finish line at 53 minutes. They were really amazing and I am so proud.
Check out the shirts the girls made for the race:
and the back of Allie’s:
After the race we headed to The Skinny Pancake for crepes and to catch up. Neil and I both got the Vegan Monster with mushrooms and salsa and topped with our favorite hot sauce.
Following brunch we headed to the Hunger Mountain Co-op to take a look but we didn’t pick up much just a yummy chocolate bar and coconut rolled dates for the Hubz. When we were leaving I decided to take a peak at the sign up sheet for my Sugar Blues workshop next week and guess what? It was FULL- even the wait list is full!!! Squeal! Eeek! OMG! The pressure is on!
When we finally made it back to Burlington the Hubz and I took a look at the clock and decided we better head to the gym before it closed. Today we decided to get a 250 meter swim in as well as our run. I haven’t been feeling great, a little congested, so todays workout wasn’t the best on top of the fact that my legs were killing me from yesterdays squats and lunges. After our run we stopped in at Healthy Living for a smoothie and coconut water as well as some organic strawberries and organic apples. The Hubz and I shared a banana-peanut butter-flax-coconut smoothie and it was delicious.
Now it’s time for dinner, The Voice, foam rolling and relaxing with a movie. What are you up to this weekend?
Good Morning! Happy Friday! This morning the Hubz and I scrambled out of bed this morning to make it to the 6am Flow Yoga class at the Y. It was our first yoga class since joining the Y and honestly we were a little skeptical. We are used to doing classes at a studio which has a different feeling and flow to it. At the Y the class is held in an old gym with a loud air conditioner running and our mats set up in a circle. We went with it though.
Today’s class was particularly hard for me because I’ve been doing so much running and gardening and not nearly enough stretching. At first I was cursing all of the downward dogs in my head because my body was so tight and I eventually had to drop down to childs pose but as the class went on my body became looser, the fan became more soothing than a distraction and I really began to enjoy the experience. After class the Hubz and I had Friday breakfast at the Co-op and discussed the class; both of us agreed we’d like to make it part of our Friday routine.
In other fitness news the Hubz and I have joined the Y and we are loving the ability to run, swim, use other cardio equipment and all of the other great features that the Y has. It isn’t your fancy gym but it works and our needs are met. I also was fitted for new running shoes this week and they are working out great. I highly recommend going to a shop where the staff is knowledgeable and can get you fitted to the right shoe for your feet and body.
This is our last of the Three Things Series (you can read one here and two here). If there is one suggestion out of all three this is probably the easiest for everyone because you (most likely) will not have to run out to the store to purchase a washcloth or small towel.
Hot Towel Scrub
Body scrubbing can be done before or after your bath or shower, or anytime during the day. All you need is a sink with hot water and a medium-sized cotton washcloth.
For the maximum effect, scrub your body twice a day: once in the morning and once again in the evening. Scrub for two minutes to 20 minutes, depending on how much time you have. The process of the hot towel scrub has a deeper physical, mental and emotional effect when done at the sink as opposed to in the shower.
Directions:
Turn on the hot water and fill the sink.
Hold the towel at both ends and place in the hot water.
Wring out the towel.
While the towel is still hot and steamy, begin to scrub the skin gently.
Do one section of the body at a time: for example, begin with the hands and fingers and work your way up the arms to the shoulders, neck and face, then down to the chest, upper back, abdomen, lower back, buttocks, legs, feet and toes.
Scrub until the skin becomes slightly pink or until each part becomes warm.
Reheat the towel often by dipping it in the sink of hot water after scrubbing each section, or as soon as the towel starts to cool.
Benefits:
Reduces muscle tension.
Reenergizes in the morning and deeply relaxes at night.
Opens the pores to release stored toxins.
Softens deposits of hard fat below the skin and prepares them for discharge.
Allows excess fat, mucus, cellulite and toxins to actively discharge to the surface rather than to accumulate around deeper vital organs.
Relieves stress through meditative action of rubbing the skin.
Calms the mind.
Promotes circulation.
Activates the lymphatic system, especially when scrubbing underarms and groin.
Easy massage and deep self-care.
Can be a sacred moment in your day, especially if done with candlelight and a drop or two of essential oil, such as lavender.
Creates a profound and loving relationship with the body, especially parts not often shown care, and especially for a person with body image problems.
I hope you are enjoying this series! The second item is a tongue cleaner which you can find at most pharmacies and super stores. I had always heard of brushing your tongue but I had never heard of or even seen a tongue scrapper until I started at IIN. Once I started using one I found that my cravings were reduced and yes it really does improve kissing!
Tongue Cleaner
The tongue cleaner, an inexpensive yet transformative utensil, is a simple, thin, u-shaped piece of stainless steel. It consists of a blunted edge that removes plaque and build-up from the surface of the tongue. Dentists in America are recommending the tongue cleaner more and more because it helps to fight cavities by removing bacteria from the mouth. The tongue cleaner also prevents bad breath, especially for people who eat a lot of dairy and build up mucus in the mouth, nose, and throat.
The tongue cleaner comes from the tradition of Ayurveda, which asserts that people who use one are better at public speaking, express themselves more thoughtfully, and speak more sincerely and authoritatively. Some people ask if the same effect can be gained by brushing the tongue with a stiff toothbrush. Brushing the tongue moves stuff around and is helpful, but a tongue cleaner is more effective as it clears out the deep deposits and generally keeps the area cleaner, stimulated and alive.
Cravings can be reduced by cleaning the tongue of leftover food. When the mouth can still taste the food, you may experience cravings for previously eaten foods. A tongue cleaner reverses the process of desensitizing your taste buds, which has happened to everyone to a greater or lesser extent. It allows you to taste more subtle flavors in food so that you can eat vegetables, fruits and whole grains with greater joy. When old residue is removed from the tongue, you will be better able to taste your food and won’t need to eat as much since you will have gained greater satisfaction from your meal.
And finally, a big advantage is that it enhances kissing because it makes the tongue more sweet, fresh and sensitive. If you are in a relationship, we invite you to check this out with your partner. Make an agreement to scrape twice a day for one week, and notice the difference.
Directions:
Apply a few quick strokes, 2-3 times a day, or after brushing your teeth
Use the rounded cleaning edge to scrape gently down the tongue several times, while applying slight pressure
Rinse under running water and gently scrape again until no white residue is left
There should be no pain or gagging involved whatsoever—if you feel any discomfort, you are probably scraping too hard or starting too far back on the tongue. And if you are wondering what those bumps are at the back of your tongue, they are your salivary glands and they are supposed to be there. If you found them you’ve gone too far.
Over the next three posts I am going to reveal three wonderful (inexpensive) things that are great for your health. When I first heard about these three things during my program at IIN I was skeptical and couldn’t really understand how three simple things could really change your life and improve your health, but they really DO work. It is amazing how small changes can have such a large impact on us.
The first of these three things is a hot water bottle. Yes you know those big oddly shaped bags that you fill with hot water that you have probably seen in old movies and cartoons. It sounded a little crazy to me too at first but the benefits are really wonderful and they are inexpensive too.
Fill it with hot water from the sink. The water bottle will stay warm for up to 2 hours.
Use it to:
Relax particular muscles or use for the entire body
Deliver nurturing comfort to enable a deep state of relaxation
Try using the hot water bottle on:
The feet for warmth
The back for strain
The lower abdomen for cramps
The abdomen for digestion and relaxation of body and mind
Additional Uses:
To combat illness: use as a warm, soothing companion to help you through flu, chills, and aches.
To ease menstrual cramps: a hot water bottle on the abdomen brings pain relief and soothing comfort.
As a bed warmer: a warm hot water bottle placed in your bed makes for a cozy sleep, especially on cold winter nights.
To ease arthritic pain: a natural, moist heat therapy for arthritic pain relief, especially great for hands.
To calm children: a warm cuddly companion to provide a calm secure feeling when children are ill or upset.
As a traveling companion: take it with you on trips to comfort you – no electricity needed.
To calm your pet: placed under a blanket, a warm hot water bottle soothes puppies in new surroundings — it provides warmth and security and calms them down.
To encourage restful sleep: to help you sleep after a high-stress day, lie down with a hot water bottle on your stomach, close your eyes and breathe deeply, so the bottle rises and falls. Many people carry a lot of tension there and the weighted heat releases it. Try it!
Today’s class was particularly hard for me because I’ve been doing so much running and gardening and not nearly enough stretching. At first I was cursing all of the downward dogs in my head because my body was so tight and I eventually had to drop down to childs pose but as the class went on my body became looser, the fan became more soothing than a distraction and I really began to enjoy the experience. After class the Hubz and I had Friday breakfast at the Co-op and discussed the class; both of us agreed we’d like to make it part of our Friday routine.
Tongue Cleaner
