Category Archives: Healthy Living

Why Soy Wax Candles

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Ever wonder why soy wax candles are becoming so popular? Simply put, they’re better for you, your family, & your environment. They are non-toxic & clean-burning, meaning they don’t emit soot & carcinogens into the air you breathe. Soy wax has natural oils that mix well with fragrant oils, allowing soy candles to hold their scent far better than paraffin wax. They also burn slower & cooler than paraffin wax, so you’ll get more use out of them than paraffin candles. And soybeans, unlike the petroleum used to make paraffin wax, are a renewable resource, making them environment-friendly in every sense of the word :) Next time you’re at the Sanctuary, check out our selection of Soy Wax Candles. They make great gifts too!

30 Day Body, Mind & Spirit Cleanse: April 24th – May 22nd

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Do you cringe when you hear the word “cleanse”? Maybe you are confused: to cleanse or not? We understand. This is exactly why Stephanie has created a 30 Day Program that will literally change your life…one day at a time. The program is do able for anyone willing to commit. It does not require you to stay near a bathroom, nor does it require you starve yourself. The program will include Body (Food & Supplements), Mind (Book Assignment), Spirit (Meditation & Writing).

If you are interested, Wednesday, April 17th at 7pm Stephanie will hold an information session at the Sanctuary. At this this time, Stephanie will explain the format, answer questions & take registrations. Note, in order for the program to start April 24th, everyone must be registered by Wednesday, April 17th. Kindly note the only monetary investment you will have to make is in the materials. RSVP to Stephanie is a must via email here. Space will be limited.

living balanced and whole

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Have you ever heard the song by Beyonce, called “If I Were A Boy?”.

There are 2 lines in the song I absolutely love: “If I were a boy…I’d put myself first…And make the rules as I go.”

I often wonder how I would feel, how my experience of life would be different if I were a “boy” for a day.  Don’t get me wrong, we all have stress, male and female.  Yet, I am always amazed how “seemingly” easy it appears for males to “let go”…to “forget what should get done”… to “put themselves first”. Or is it that men never cared “to know” to begin with because they just go with the flow anyway?  I have often meditated on this topic.  While I can’t change my gender…I can take a few lessons from the boys and commit  to the following:

1. Make my own self care my #1 priority

2.Love myself even when the house is dirty and all the meals are not home cooked

3.Let it all go and trust the journey

How about you?  What do you commit to this month?

Even if only for the month of May, as we celebrate Mom’s and the mother in all of us, let’s do a better job of taking care of US!  When we do, we will be better able and much happier to care for others.

 

Shaklee to the Rescue

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Let Shaklee Products Help You Recover!

Holiday eatingShaklee products can help keep you recover from leftover Holiday stress, unhealthy temptations, indulgence in rich or difficult to digest foods, and can offer immune system support when you need it.

  • Vivix® and Vitalizer – Never let a busy schedule run you down, or keep you from maintaining your nutritional foundation. Give your body, and your cells, nutrients they need to stay healthy, energized and strong.*
  • Cinch® – Even in a hurry, you still have time to enjoy the best breakfast in the world! Carry Cinch Shake packets wherever you go and be sure to stow a few Cinch Snack Bars into your backpack, briefcase or purse, to fend off the temptation of high-calorie fast food while running errands or shopping at the mall.
  • NutriFeron® – higher stress levels and winter mean challenges to your immune system’s optimal functioning. NutriFeron increases production of your body’s natural interferon, a key component of immune function.*
  • EZ-Gest® – Too much of a good thing can be…uncomfortable. Take EZ-Gest as needed for digestive help after rich holiday meals.*
  • Stress Relief Complex* – A non-drowsy approach to help manage life’s everyday stresses so you can get things done.

If you have questions, contact Stephanie via email here and she will guide you!

sugar is addicting

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Many people know how sugar can wreak havoc in terms of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

However, most people don’t connect sugar to other issues many of us struggle with on a daily basis.

My weight fluctuated in the past as a result of too much sugar. Plain and simple, I was eating too much refined sugar and not enough complex carbs, lean protein and healthy fats. I was overfed and undernourished.  The excessive sugar I ate led to a whole host of issues, to name a few: overweight, low blood sugar, energy crashes, coffee addiction, crankiness: I need to eat right now or I will hurt you, cravings for more sugar, unimpressive libido for a young passionate girl!

Below are some questions you can ask yourself to see if your sweet tooth is wreaking havoc:

1. Do you often feel tired and achy?

2. Does your energy plummet mid-afternoon?

3. Do you suffer from headaches, irritable bowel, or yeast/candida overgrowth?

4. Do you have congestion, or have to clear your throat alot?

5. Do you get dizzy when you stand up?

6. Do you get thirsty alot & urinate frequently?

7. If you are a male, over 45, do you have the “spare tire” around your waist?

8. If you are female, over 38, do you suffer decreased libido, irregular periods, PMS?

9. Do you have problems controlling your weight?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, your sweet tooth might need some serious restraint. I can help by teaching you how to control your sugar intake by implementing gradual diet and lifestyle changes.

Sugar is addicting.  In order to break the habit it is important to get support.  Email me here if you would like to set up a complementary health consultation.  I would love to support you!

Excellence and Ambition

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What is the connection?  Step #1 on the road to excellence is  ambition.

When I coach people on how to lose weight, reduce stress, eat healthier, I realize those who succeed have something in common: they are ambitious. Our ambition allows us to set goals that exceed our expectations. Along the way, as the challenges do arise, we do not settle for less. Doesn’t that sound simple? Well, it is. When you start with the decision to achieve excellence, get support you need to help  you lay out your plan and stick with it.

For me, my desire to achieve physical excellence means as I age I want to become more physically fit, not less. This desire prompted me to sign up for a 10K race. I am not a “runner” so the 10K is a wonderful goal that will enable me to work beyond my usual physical routine. As of today I have completed the 14th day of my 40 day training schedule. I can tell you with sincerity the process of exercising 6 days each week has been very challenging for me. However, since my ambition to pursue physical excellence is strong, I am sticking with it. On some days when I am running, I can’t tell if I am sweating, crying or both! I push forward regardless. By pushing through the struggle I come away with a sense of accomplishment that inspires me to keep setting new and more challenging goals.

I challenge you to notice where in your life you show up “excellent”. Meaning, you are ambitious, you set goals beyond your reach, and you keep pushing until you reach them. Keep in mind there is no right or wrong. Just start to notice where you show up excellent. And if you aren’t sure, then perhaps choose one area you would like to begin showing up excellent. The journey starts with the first step!!

 

 

your future part 3

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The third and final thing which impacts the quality of our future and that is our willingness to overcome adversity. It is true that no matter how badly you want something in life, you will face challenges. I like to think of these challenges as an opportunity to examine whether I really really want whatever it is that I am after. And if I really really do want it, then I focus on getting the necessary support to overcome the adversity. When I say support it can be anything from having a call with my mentor, exercising, taking time off, reading, writing or going back to the vision I have for my life which totally inspires me!

When I need support, one person I turn to is Jim Rohn because he is doing and has done what I envision myself to be doing 15 years from now. On one of his CD’s he says when times get tough, don’t ask for it to be easier, ask for more skills. Brilliant! If we truly desire a better future for ourselves and our family, we must be willing to overcome obstacles and challenges.

I have faced and continue to face obstacles as I build my wellness business. Death, divorce, moving — all kinds of emotional turmoil and yes, even un-supportive friends and family. Do you know how many days I quit “in my head” and say to myself, “I will just go back to work for someone else”. What keeps me moving forward is that I am willing to overcome adversity by constantly improving myself, my skills. I am willing to learn, to change, and be coach-able. I invest in myself because I firmly believe the more we work on ourselves, the more success we will achieve in life. And I don’t just mean monetary success. I am talking about success in love and relationships– in living a good life, with no regrets.

How can you apply this to your life? What challenges are you currently facing? Are you willing to overcome this adversity to improve the quality of your future or that of your family? What choices are you making? What is the quality of your thinking? It is all connected. As always, I am here to support you so don’t be afraid to reach out! We are not meant to “go it alone”.

your future part 2

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The second thing which impacts the quality of our future is our thinking, our mindset. There are 2 mindsets we fall into. Some of us believe “I am who I am”. This is a “learned” or “fixed” way of thinking. With this way of thinking, not much change or growth can occur. Others of us believe “I can become..”. This way of thinking leads to growth, change…transformation.

So I ask you: what are your beliefs about your future? What is your mindset? Are you in a fixed mindset or a growth mindset? The great news is you can choose to move from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. I did!

Here’s how:

I have never been a “runner”. The first time I went running I lasted less than 5 minutes and my shins were on fire. I was in such agony I believed that running was “not for me”. I made all the excuses: too old to start, not thin enough, etc etc. I made the choice not to continue running. Fast forward a few years later and the opportunity to run a 5K with my sister (and super athlete), Christine, came up. I wanted to do it, yet was terrified. Remember, I believed “I am not a runner”. My sister promised she would help me. I agreed and our first practice run was Miserable (yes, capital “M”). Christine is a great coach and very supportive. She pushed me and we completed the 5K. Something shifted in me after that experience. I began to believe that I can become a runner if I choose to.

Based on my new belief that I can become a runner, I have worked hard at it over the years. The other day I ran for 63 minutes!! I had no shin issues, no breathing issues. During the last 5 minutes of my run I saw a group of very fit people running a 10K. Do you know what I said to myself? I said, “I can do that”, “I will run a 10K”. I have decided that this will be my year for running 10K’s. What is truly remarkable about mindset is that prior to the 5K I completed with my sister, I would have looked at those runners and said, “I am not a runner”, “I can’t do that”. Simply by changing my mindset from a “fixed” one to a “growth” one, I altered my future.

Being able to run feeds me. It motivates me to keep on pushing for what I want even when my mind tries to trick me.

My friends, the quality of your future is connected to the quality of your thinking.

I repeat: What is your mindset? Are you in a fixed mindset or a growth mindset? What are your beliefs?

Challenge yourself to overcome your negative mind feed and move into a growth mindset.

Contact me here to support you.

your future part 1

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Today I write to you about your future. “Your Future”. What reaction do these words evoke in you? Excitement? Fear? Nothing? Close your eyes. Take a deep breath and connect into the feeling. What feelings come up? Jot them down. Don’t judge them.

Over the next few weeks I am going to focus on the question, “What does your future look like?”

My friends, the quality of your future depends on three things.

The first thing is choice. The choices you make today determine if your future will be better or worse than it is today.

Why is choice important? Choice is the starting point. The choices we make day in and day out– both the big ones and the small ones– point us in a direction that causes us to make more choices; and those choices take us in another direction where guess what? Yes, more choices.

As I was listening to Jim Rohn the other day, he mentioned something like this: All of us face the same wind. It is the set of our sail that determines the outcome. I see the sail as our choice.

When Hurricane Irene was approaching a few weeks ago I made the choice to evacuate my beach house in Long Island even though many of my neighbors stayed behind. On Thursday when we were asked to “voluntarily evacuate” my logic was simply this: if today it is voluntary, and tomorrow it becomes mandatory, I will be miserable leaving here with everyone else plus 9 pets.  So, given the information I had, and knowing I don’t take too much risk with issues of my well-being, I made the “unpopular” choice to leave. For me, when it comes to choice, in particular when the stakes are high, sitting in the “unknown”, the “maybe”, the “let’s wait and see”, is an extremely dis-empowering place for me so I simply do not do it. I commit to making choices that empower me, so the choice to leave was one I came upon rather easily.

I invite you to get really curious about the choices you make.

Ask yourself: Are my choices helping me to create a future that is better or worse?