HOW WELL ARE YOU?

WELCOME!

A few weeks ago, on my instagram stories, I started talking about carving out my own HOLISTIC WELLNESS PLAN. I’ve recently had some doctor’s appointments checking blood work, etc. (read post about that here) that were fine, but I wasn’t feeling great. Two dear friends (thanks Bri Cuoco and Kaley Cuoco) sat me down and SERIOUSLY analyzed every ounce of what I was putting in my body. I’ve had countless people discuss wellness and I’ve read a great deal about the topic over the years. I’m grateful because it’s cumulative. Every one of those people/books planted seeds.

The instagram story that sparked interest was over an OAT MILK latte. Many of you had questions- some offered advice. Why oat milk? No dairy? What else are you giving up? Will you ever have cheese again?

I am changing things up! No more cow’s milk for me or my hot chocolate powder with marshmallows. YES— for about 20 years I’ve had hot chocolate powder with marshmallows in my coffee EVERY. SINGLE. MORNING. Not to say I won’t ever have a mocha again, but it will be a treat, not the norm. I’m not gonna lie to you, the oat milk was different at first. But, two weeks in— I like it. I tried almond milk, but I like to steam and froth the milk and almond doesn’t seem to work as well. 

Lemme start from the beginning, and maybe you want to walk through this with me, too?

QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF

WHY ARE YOU DESIRING CHANGE?

ME: overall health, feeling tired, bloated tummy, breakouts and bumps on arms, feel better about myself

WHAT ARE YOUR HEALTH GOALS?

ME: more energy, less anxiety, better sleep, longer life

TAKE Literal INVENTORY in your pantry and fridge. WHAT WILL YOU NOT ALLOW IN THE HOUSE ANY MORE? (side note: I have some things for Hayden, so this requires discipline!)

ME: diet sodas, too much sugar, gluten, processed foods, dairy. No more string cheese (I love these!!!) Not to say I won’t ever eat or drink these things, just not going to have them readily available.

WHAT NEW ITEMS WILL BE STAPLES?

ME: whole foods, fresh foods, SPICES, more plant based

TIPS THAT ARE HELPNG ME 

BABY STEPS.

I will do better today than I did yesterday. This is a lifestyle change (marathon), not a race. AND IT IS ABOUT FEELING BETTER, NOT being a smaller size.

MAKE IT FUN.

If you can, grow your own food. Go to farmer’s market. Go to a farm to pick your fruit one day. Find great recipes and make them your own.

DIY SUPPORT GROUPS

Even if it’s you and your mom! Or a group of three on text chain (that’s what mine is with my girlfriends, just the three of us. And they check in constantly. Like, several times a day.

FOLLOW INSPIRATIONAL PEOPLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Find the tribe that will keep you going or give you new ideas! SHARE YOUR FAVORITES WITH ME, PLEASE! twitter, fb, or instagram and pinterest.

HERE ARE A FEW I AM FOLLOWING FOR INSPIRATION. Take what works for you, weed out the rest.

@KIMSHAPIRAMETHOD

@MAXLUGAVERE

@ERINOPREA

@MEDICALMEDIUM

@CALORIESTUTORIAL

Over the next few weeks, I’ll write more about this topic, but thought these questions would be a good place for us to all start. Would you all be interested in knowing exact overhauls Bri and Kaley insisted on me making (exact products, foods, recipes, exercise ideas, etc)? 

LMK. Also, thanks for being here. Your involvement inspires me.

xoxo AAJ

HAVING A HEART-TO-HEART

This post was written in partnership with Kowa Pharmaceuticals America, Inc. and Take Cholesterol to Heart. All opinions, content and experiences written are my own. I am not a medical professional and am not qualified to give medical advice. Please talk with your doctor about your individual medical situation.

It’s National Women’s Health Week! You’ve heard me say it before and I will say it again: we must protect our hearts! One of the things this year has taught me so far is to stay as healthy as possible. Underlying issues can make us susceptible to illness. So, let’s carve out an overall wellness plan specific to our individual heart health needs starting with… 

KNOWLEDGE

After discussing heart health in previous posts and on social media, I noticed quite a few responses from you all saying you DO have high cholesterol, or it runs in your family. Being aware of your cholesterol levels is a first step, so I commend those of you that are taking control of your health. It’s not as scary when you know how to manage it under a doctor’s care. If you haven’t had a chance to discuss cholesterol with your doctor, please make this a priority as soon as possible (virtual appointments are available until you’re able to meet live again!). In partnership with Take Cholesterol to Heart, I’m having some of your most pressing questions about heart health answered on my Instagram Stories- so look for that today to ask your question! 

American Heart Association recommends getting cholesterol checked every 4-6 years starting at the age of 20. It’s easy to feel invincible when you’re active, eating mindfully and seemingly healthy, especially if there are no symptoms disrupting our lives. Some people have high cholesterol and don’t know it - that’s why smart lifestyle choices are imperative, but not necessarily a one-size-fits-all solution! 

Did you know that LDL, or bad cholesterol, can build up and cause plaque in the bloodstream? This plaque can build up along the walls of arteries, making it more difficult for blood to flow through the arteries and out to the body. This can lead to heart disease, which is the number one killer in America. That’s why it’s important for us to monitor our hearts. 

CHANGING HABITS 

Move your body, ideally for at least 40 minutes, 3-4 times a week.

Eat for your heart, higher fiber and less fatty diets can go a long way!

Rest. Relax. Reset.

Lately, I’ve been reading about people that live in the ‘Blue Zones’, which are said to be geographic regions where people live the longest – it’s fascinating! Their lifestyles follow many of the guidelines from the American Heart Association.

They move often because they walk more than drive. Of course, this is not always conducive to living in cities like Los Angeles, but parking further away, running after Hayden and walking to the park instead of driving are things I need to remind myself to do. Also, I’ve switched up the snacks we keep readily available, including healthier options such as sliced tomatoes and fruit slices instead of chips and cheese!

Gardening is another commonality of the ‘Blue Zones’, which improves mental health and gives us a sense of purpose and responsibility. Plus, we can grow some of the best foods for our heart: leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, etc. That’s why one of the things I miss right now is a yard – but if you’re like Hayden and me, we find areas to “garden” in our condo. I’m realizing the benefits are the same regardless of the size (and a great activity to teach Hayden, too). 

MAKING TIME TO CONNECT

As a single mom, I know how often we juggle children, work and everyday life. I see my own mother still doing the same. She may no longer be teaching school and her children are grown, but she still juggles her adult children (and Hayden), church work and other family members. Although she’s good about seeing her doctors when needed, I still bring up the conversation often.

This National Women’s Health Week, can we not only check in with ourselves about our heart health, but also have a HEART-TO-HEART with a loved one? Ask how she is protecting her heart? A friend, sister, mother, aunt… sometimes a simple question can lead to great discussion – and proactive treatment plan. For some people, their plan might include a doctor prescribing cholesterol-reducing medication. For more information, please visit Take Cholesterol to Heart.

Would love to hear about these conversations… and in the meantime, what is your number one daily activity to protect your own heart?

xxo

AAJ

The Foundation of a Holistic Wellness Plan

Amidst all the concerns caused by coronavirus, please remember to take care of the rest of your body.  This is a sponsored post I wrote for Invitae about heart health before Covid-19 became a pandemic, however it applies now more than ever. This time is teaching us to look at any underlining medical conditions and address them. And it goes without saying, our immune systems need to be on their A-game. All tests discussed below can be taken in the comfort of your home while most of us are in “shelter in place” mode. 

Last month, I got to attend a health conference called #BlogHer20 Health hosted by SHE Media. I was with a ton of like-minded women coming together to discuss all things health and wellness. I got a good amount of DMs requesting I share the info, so I’m looking forward to sharing some of the highlights with y’all. One of the events around the conference was a spin class a block away from the Pacific ocean hosted by Invitae, a medical genetics company.

While moving as fast as I could in my stationary bike, sweating in the dark with a room full of people from all walks of life, I asked myself what I really wanted out of this day. I was there to learn about heart health - and hopefully share what I learned with you all. Ideally, I’m hoping all these wellness chats and posts lead us to create our own personal Holistic Wellness Plan. The plan will look different for each of us, but the foundation will be the same: arming ourselves with knowledge to understand our own bodies and needs. We can come together to hold ourselves accountable.

Invitae was discussing heart health that day. Heart disease is still the number one killer of women in America and is by no means rare, yet it is under diagnosed. That’s what is so scary to me: we could be doing all the right things, but still be genetically prone to certain diseases or high cholesterol levels.

Back when we could workout in gyms, yoga studios, spin class:)

In the post I recently wrote about heart health, I asked us all to open up the conversation with our doctors (and make that appointment). My own research started a dialogue with professionals and my family. I was assured my parents and grandmother are seeing cardiologists and getting their checkups. Since heart issues run in my family, prevention and knowledge are paramount. For me to create my own holistic wellness plan, I wanted to take it a step further and get screened to know if I’m genetically prone to any disease.

A cardio health screen determines your cardio health risks, which can serve as the basis to any holistic wellness plan by giving you the information you need to prevent or treat diseases.

I became very interested in learning about genetic cancer and cardio screenings available to me. What Invitae is doing is unprecedented. Invitae’s screening tests are now available to consumers to initiate directly through their website at affordable costs (with the ability to use HSA or FSA).

I initiated the genetic cardio screening. I received a package with straightforward directions. A doctor had to look over my questionnaire to approve and order the test. My screening used DNA from saliva. I was emailed as soon as the test was received and approved by a doctor for further testing. The Invitae Cardio Screen looks at 77 genes to help determine your risk of developing an inherited form of cardiovascular disease. Then, I received an email with an alert the results were ready and ability to consult a genetic counselor to help answer any questions and understand my results.

I took a genetic screening test when I was pregnant with Hayden, but this is the only one I took to invest in the rest of my life. I’m very curious - have you taken one? I hope you will consider it.

It was fascinating to study my test results. I am negative for any serious risk which is a relief because some of my family members deal with heart conditions. Of course, there are many other factors that determine your heart health, but for now, I’m gathering info for the foundation of my holistic wellness plan. Oh and by the way, I’d love to find out any questions you have and get them answered for you… so comment away! Looking forward to discussing ideas for the ultimate HOLISTIC WELLNESS PLAN (like the Mediterranean diet). What does that look like for you? What would you want your goals to be? So, chime in and then stay tuned!! Now, excuse me while I go have my hot water with lemon and get ready for my daily walk with Hayden and Oscar!

xoxo

AAJ

Pausing or Shapeshifiting?

Melissa Jones (the fitness and weightless guru I follow) recently caught my attention talking about PAUSING or SHIFTING in life. Her discussion stuck with me. I think it’s significant to understand the phases we may go through. If we are in one phase, but don’t acknowledge it, we get very frustrated and disappointed in ourselves not meeting expectations. Or at least I do.

I took Melissa’s thought and expanded quite a bit. So, the seed came from her, but follow her if you want her ideas… these are my interpretations. I’m pretty certain Melissa was referring to the journey with Faster Way to Fat Loss, but many of her weight loss tips apply to life as well, not just food;)

Right now, today, although life is shifting overall, I AM PAUSING. I’m run down, I’ve picked my life battles carefully and here I am (good thing), but I’m tired. That’s ok, though. I know I need to allow my body to rest and my mind to process. At yoga, no matter what kind of class I go to— an intense sculpt class or hot fusion (36 held poses) —the last few minutes of class everyone PAUSES. We are completely still. No fidgets.  We allow our bodies to take a pause and soak up all our efforts.

PAUSING doesn’t mean we don’t go about our day to day activities and take care of our lives. I’m not talking about pausing in front of a pool with someone waiting on you. LOL (Although that doesn’t sound so bad!) This is more of a mental acknowledgment of a season. It might be a season of maintenance or a season of rest. It could last a few days, or a few years. During this phase, we can renew our spirit. One of my favorite Bible verses talks about God renewing our spirit and strength. Isaiah 40:30-31. Also, a verse most of us have heard or know, Psalm 23. When reading this chapter, you can easily see the phases of life… a time for rest, a time for renewal, a time for battle, a time to feast and a time to give thanks.

I had a convo with a colleague/friend recently. She said she was “happy where her career was right this second” and felt she could relax. I know her and I know this won’t last long. Because it doesn’t need to. She will continue to move ahead, but it was special to hear her acknowledge where she was, how far she’d come and being content in the PAUSING mode for one moment, soaking up the efforts and refueling, waiting for clear direction for the next SHIFT.

I’m aiming to be shifting and moving forward soon. SHAPE-SHIFTING with life and work. I just typed, “I want to be more productive”, but I deleted it. Because I have been productive. What I am learning is that BOTH phases are significant and productive in their own ways. And understanding which one we are in helps relieve frustration. If we’re thinking we should have a better job, travel more, lose more weight, etc., but we are naturally in a pausing phase, this will frustrate us and not allow us to appreciate the benefits of where we are today.

Are you a shapeshifter or are you pausing right now? Have you thought about this lately? Thanks for reading all my babble today. And yes, I had to throw in the True Blood reference. Did you think I’d write a whole blog on shifting and not include “shapeshifter?” Made me smile;)

For those that are utterly confused, I played Daphne in the HBO show True Blood (see phone below). She was a shapeshifting waitress (shifted into a deer, a pig… you know the usual. ha!). And last but not least, thanks for listening to me babble. I’ll have more interesting, fun posts soon! Even my photos I’m using in the post are from last year… stay tuned for better. Love to you all.

Happy Weekend, all.

xoxo AAJ