Balancing wellness in our fast paced, fun world is tricky.
-Sara Plummer Barnard
There are so many obligations and pressures and SO MANY cool things to experience. Where do we exert and where to we conserve? Time to rest or time to push through?
We really are trying to be healthy and get all of our work done and frolic with the fun kids and connect to our highest purpose and and and~ we have 24 hours and mitochondria that requires certain things to output optimal energy.
Top 5 tips to balance it all better:
1. Know your stressors and what depletes you
2. Know what's worth getting depleted for
3. Ditch the next day shame. Permit, commit, and have a recovery plan in place.
4. General Rest Hacks and Recovery Tips
5. Specifics Tips for Alcohol, Sleep Deprivation, Anxiety, Over eating, and Travel
1. Know your stressors / depletors
Sugar? ... Not enough sleep? ... Traumatic Childhood? ... Manic Over-scheduling?
Narcissistic Boss? ... Competitive Friends? ... Family pressure? ... Work Load?
Knowing what really takes it out of us lets us plan ahead and have compassion for our resulting fatigue that can take us out of the game. Be honest about how your habits, environment, and community make you feel. Some may require more recovery time than others and some should be avoided entirely.
2. Know what's worth getting depleted
Life is exhausting and we have to know what we value, what we feel is worth blowing our energy load. If we can't get clear on this, we'll spend our time tired and yet unfulfilled. It doesn't have to make sense to anyone else. It just has to light you up and feel worth it if it involves late nights, stimulating substances (dessert, drugs), or your time (you'll be sacrificing that morning jog).
What's your real life bucket list?
What do you feel you should do? What values are being advertised to you? Do you care about those really? Are you just keeping up with the Jones'?
Do you actually care about tradition, hallmark holidays, sports schedules, that 4th group of friends you're supposed to be seen with, or pressuring family values? (If yes, awesome, note that! If not, what will you lose sleep over?)
Connect with your true north in that moment - what do I actually want to be doing now?
3. Ditch the next day shame
Once you know what you're willing to tire yourself out for, go for it. Yes you may feel crummy the next day but own your choice, permit yourself, commit to the decision, and know you have a recovery plan.
4. General Rest Hacks and Recovery Tips
Sunday sleep in (or 1 other day per week to reset and catchup a bit)
Lunch nap or solo walk
1 night/week early 8:30 bedtime. (If you stayed in, don't scroll Instagram)
Stop eating 4 hours before bed most nights (allows body to go into empty belly Autophagy cleaning cycle while giving your digestion a break and letting blood sugar rebalance)
Meditative deep breathing with soothing sounds, eye shade, and pep talk positive thoughts
Notice where you're mean to yourself and jot it down ~ then start interrupting that asshole
Switch to veggies, protein, and good fats (ditch the exhausting blood sugar spike emergency)
Take a 5 day alcohol/sugar break ~ let the body reset and not be in constant recovery mode
Flush it out with water ~ mood lift, cleansing detox, beauty booster, and cellular gift
Give Credit & Gratitude ~ list out your accomplishments and tune the brain back to grateful.
5. Beauty Hacks & specific remedies
ALCOHOL: Booze dries us out, slows our filtering of other toxins, and steals our electrons. Here's how to help avoid a hangover and some next day recovery tips
While drinking, Go bulletproof! This means clear spirits (no wine/beer), no sugary mixers. Skip dessert on alcohol nights. Vodka Soda, Tequila lime,
Antioxidant liver support vitamins ~ help the liver make master antioxidant Glutathione by giving it the building blocks NaC & ALA with Vitamin C
Drink water every other drink. ~ Hangovers are a combination of dehydration and free radicals stealing electrons from our cells. Keep the water coming. Ditch the sugar.
Sleep ~ let the body process the poisons and filter. This one doubles as an inflammation reducer and beauty hack. Sleep is magic.
Cold Shower/ SF Bay dips ~ reset the body and lower inflammation
Move that body - walks in the sunshine are everything.
Skip the next day coffee and opt for green tea thats less acidic and dehydrating.
Next day breakfast should have a whole lot of good fats and vitamin rich, fiberous veggies
eggs & spinach /broccoli scramble (turmeric & pepper on eggs, sea salt/cayenne optional)
avocado & sea salt / avocado crab salad
banana & almond butter
VitalistSuperfood Aloe Detox drink ~ mint, lime, aloe, ginger, spirulina
LACK OF SLEEP: this one is tough but we can feel a whole lot better with a few tweaks
Eat less food. ~ Yes you will be seeking more stimulation but the body is tired and can't handle the extra processing load. Absolutely NO SUGAR if you have to be awake and productive the next day. The sugar crash will put you to sleep and wreak havoc on your tired skin.
Power nap when possible (every minute counts)
Under eye cream and fabulous concealer / brightener (Benefit's Shybeam adds to any concealer)
Lots of water, minerals (magnesium), and amino acids to help with body function.
Walk in the Sunshine! This mood boost, Vitamin D3 bath, and lymphatic detoxing through movement is ALL.THE.THINGS. Start slower and then pick up the pace as your body comes alive.
Wear bright colors, lips too. (yes you feel like death but vibrant colors (esp. yellow) are mood boosters and red lips keep us feeling fierce)
Triple the Vitamin C! ~ you can't take too much and this may be the difference between getting sick after a big night or not. Plus you'll notice a positive skin difference. I live on Oxylent (emergenC in a pinch) most days but really go for it after partying.
Protein over carbs if you want to focus and feel good. .Carbs if you want to numb out and nap.
ANXIETY / STRESS: your brain is low on magnesium, you're depleted, and the anxiety is here
Lots of oxygen! ~ Deep diaphram breathing tells the brain things are A-ok. The faster the thoughts are going the slower and deeper the breath should be
Power nap / Meditative break ~ The anxiety won't let you feel accomplished anyway, so stop what you're doing and literally do nothing. Remind that anxiety that you're not going to be pushed around by it's irrational panic. Your brain is depleted and you actually need rest. Deep breathing is your only real to-do list
GABA, Magnesium, Vitamin B12, D, C, amino acid 5HTP
GABA helps the brain chill out
Magnesium also helps with the chill while being needed in 300+ brain chemical reactions (epsom salt baths, spinach, almonds, cashews, dark chocolate all have magnesium)
methylated/converted B12 & B9 are both the buffers against stress in the body and the mechanics that take amino acid building blocks and create hormones / happy brain chemicals. (read more about Bs here)
D ~ linked to good mood, weight loss, strong bones, immune function, and heart health
5HTP is the amino acid that builds Serotonin. People that party on Molly take lots of this the next day. It's a good building block for us to take in the afternoon to build up our reserves and especially the day after lots of happy stimulation. I use Neurothera that combines all of these ingredients.
OVEREATING: It's easy to get caught up in stressful work and social situations and eat to soothe or distract. If this has happened, here's how to reset:
Wiggle. Dance. Walk. ~ put that food to work and send it to the muscles for use. The dance floor can seriously help the damage of the buffet. Walking after a meal is wonderful to reset.
Forgive yourself ~ Yes you feel stuffed and yes you have to be in a bikini this weekend. It's ok. The body will process it and there was probably a needed mineral in that food combo that is just what your body needed. One meal is no big deal, especially with the tool of intermittent fasting!
Intermittent fasting ~ eat 14-16 hours after you take your last bite. Drink water and let your body process that food and stabilize blood sugar before giving it more. Overnight fasting is great (and easier). If you feel hungry, make some bulletproof coffee/tea with coconut oil or butter in it. Break the fast with slices of good fat rich avocado.
Commit to experiment ~ If you know you're an anxious eater, have some food rules. See how you feel after ditching alcohol at one event, sugar at another, and dairy/meat at another. See which social food combo works best for your body and what should be avoided. Just don't ditch them all at the same event. Start slow and experiment with breaking this common overeating cycle.
TRAVEL: Dry airplanes, too much sitting, recycled air, unhealthy snacks, and weird hours can throw us off. These can help:
Under Eye Cream ~ wear it and bring it
Lots of water - bring or buy a bottle
Healthy Snacks ~ Avocado cut in half in bag, Almonds/Walnuts, VitalistSuperfood Nut Balls,Paleo Bar, Home popped Popcorn in a bag, Starbucks Match green Tea Latte, Salad or sushi bought at the airport (careful with the dressing), Apple, Nitrate free Turkey/Beef Jerkey, Steamed Veggies.
Bring a Jacket/scarf for warmth and low back support (who are those seats made for?)
Fascia releaseTennis Balls for massage
Bring Eye Shades to sleep
Stretch, Rollout, and maybe walk that morning
Walk around the airport
Dress fabulous enough you'd be ok running into an ex but comfy enough to take a nap (leggings and lipstick)
Time your nap and pop a melatonin for longer flights entering a new timezone
Vitamin C!!! Your skin, immune system, and pending jet lag are begging you!