Ever notice the abundance of sweet treats in airport stores? That’s no coincidence. Sweat treats pacify our feelings of stress and anxiety. According to Ayurveda, sweet taste is grounding and heavy, and food companies know this! They know that sugar triggers the reward center in the brain, releasing opioids and dopamine. It makes us feel great… in the short term. Another perspective is that the sweetness of breast milk is the first thing we taste as humans. If we’re fortunate enough, we drink it from the safety and comfort of our mother’s arms. In Ayurveda we call this a samskara,
3 Ways to Comfort Without Sweet Treats
September 26, 2019 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness
Is Your All or Nothing Attitude Affecting Your Health?
September 19, 2019 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness
Is your all or nothing attitude negatively affecting your health? Do you believe that if you don’t have an hour to do a workout it’s not worth even trying? Does the excuse of not having ‘the right’ clothes or venue to do a yoga practice or workout keep you phone scrolling instead of taking care of your body? Some of my Ayurveda clients tell me that they feel like failures for not making all of the changes they wanted to even though they’re very successful with 1 or 2. But guess what. Successfully incorporating 1 or 2 healthy habits and
Someday or Day One?
July 23, 2019 | Written by: | Filed Under: Health and Wellness, Inspiring Articles, Mindset
When you schedule time on your calendar how often do you pencil in activities on Someday? Never heard of Someday being on the calendar? That’s because Someday doesn’t exist in reality. There’s a saying that goes: “There are 7 days in a week and Someday isn’t one of them.” Saying you’ll do something Someday is saying that what you want is just a pipe dream. As uninspiring as this is, it’s also easy and doesn’t involve risk. On the other hand, taking steps towards what you really want feels scary, risky and hard. I get it. I’ve been there over
3 Tips to Avoid Summer Burnout + Smoothie Recipe
June 20, 2019 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness
It’s officially the change of season, and if you don’t want to overheat and burnout, it’s critical that you make changes to your diet and lifestyle. Summer is the season of heat, long hours of sunlight and full-on activity! If your diet and lifestyle run hot during this season then you could experience physical symptoms such as skin problems and breakouts, acid reflux and bouts of urgently needing a bathroom 🙁 Emotionally you may experience increased anger, frustration and stress. This can lead to confrontations with family and co-workers, overwhelm and burnout. Here are three of my favorite, and perhaps not-so-well-known
5 Exercises To Relieve Your Anxiety
March 7, 2019 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness
Calm and patient. Two words my clients have used to describe my coaching style over the years. Anxiety and panic attacks. Things I never thought I’d experience, much less need to manage… until this year. This is new territory for me, and new experiences lead to growth. As I’ve adjusted I’ve learned about myself and how the self care I’ve implemented over the years is making a big difference for my mental and physical well being during this time. Here are my Top 5 Strategies for Managing Anxiety: Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor or a counselor. My intention with this post
The 2 Questions I Ask Before I Help Someone
February 5, 2019 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness
There’s love, satisfaction and joy present when we contribute in a positive way to someone’s life. Whether it’s helping a stranger with directions, being a powerful listener for a friend, a caregiver for family, or setting safety for our crew on the water. Then why, you may ask, does helping or being of service sometimes (or often) feel frustrating and tiresome? Why do feelings of resentfulness creep in? Perhaps you even ask yourself why you bother helping that person/people anyway?! The love is clearly gone. If you feel this way then… Ask Yourself These Two Questions: Why? It’s the simplest
How the Sun Rules Your Health
January 17, 2019 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness
What if I told you that the secret to optimal health, stress and weight management is your relationship with the sun? You may think that I’ve gone off the deep end and joined some weird crazy cult that stares into the sun for energy or something. Well, it’s not crazy or airy fairy, it’s called chronobiology. The science of chronobiology, the field of biology that studies natural physiological rhythms, is telling us that our circadian rhythm (24 hour body clock) governs our health and wellness. In 2017 the Nobel prize in medicine was awarded to three scientists for their discoveries showing
Yoga for Paddling: How to Sit to Reduce Back Pain
December 19, 2018 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness, Yoga for Paddling
Did you know that one of the main functions of the spine is that of shock absorber? That’s why the spine has curves, to act like a spring to absorb impact. The disks in between the bony vertebrae also play a major roll in this function. Disks are made of squishy cartilage able to absorb impact by compressing slightly. In a healthy spine the cartilage doesn’t stay compressed, but retakes shape. When the disks get too compressed by the vertebrae it can lead to bulging disks. A bulging disk is when the disk gets so compressed that it bulges out
Anna’s Gift Guide for the Health Conscious Paddler
November 20, 2018 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness, Kayaking Tips, SUP Tips, Yoga for Paddling
Ready to be the coolest gift giver this season? Give meaningful and fun gifts that contribute to your favorite paddler’s health, wellbeing and passion for paddling. Read on for my top picks for paddlers who do (or would like to) take on their wellness with as much stoke as they take on the water! Under $25 Asheville Tea Company Pumpkin Pie Chai Delicious, hand packed tea by Asheville outdoor enthusiast Jessie Dean. Perfect for pre and post paddling, especially during the cool winter/spring months. Full of digestive spices that are also sweet and comforting. My favorite recipe for preparation: 1TBS
6 Secrets to Beat Holiday Bloat
November 19, 2018 | Written by: | Filed Under: Anna's Blog, Health and Wellness, Yoga for Paddling
Do you experience bloat, discomfort and lethargy from overindulging during the Holiday Season? If so, you’re not alone! I think we’ve all been there 🙂 The good news is that I’ve got some tips that will help you enjoy the good cheer and delicious foods of the season without the heaviness. As an Ayurveda Wellness Counselor I’ve spent a lot of time studying and practicing effective strategies for boosting digestion, one of the key bodily functions responsible for our energy level, mood and nutrition. During this time of year it’s easy to let our digestive systems get bogged down
