Fatigue is something we all experiences at one time or another. The issue is not that we experience fatigue, but the issue is when fatigue becomes part of everyday life. Fatigue is a lingering tiredness that is constant, and it can be physical, mental or a combination of both.
If you are experiencing ongoing fatigue, it is important to speak with your doctor to find the cause. Don't simply accept that fatigue must be your lot in life and drag your exhausted self around each day, or worse; fill yourself with sleeping pills before bed each night to fall asleep. Be mindful of the fact that our bodies are not deficient in prescription drugs such as Ambien or Restoril. Instead, we need to be asking the question – what are we deficient in?
Simple blood tests can rule out vitamin deficiency, such as low iron or low B12. A routine complete blood count (CBC) looks at your white and red blood cells, platelet, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, to detect or rule out any serious health issues such as tissue inflammation, infection, heart conditions, or possibly cancer. Low grade infection of any kind can also zap your energy, so consider any wound you may have that is not healing well, or even a possible dental infection. Your fatigue could also be as a result of a problem with the autonomic nervous system (POTS). A good functional medicine doctor, homeopathic doctor, or naturopathic doctor can often help you get to the root cause.
Hormone levels can also wreak havoc on sleep. If progesterone levels are not optimal, we won’t be able maintain normal sleep cycles. Progesterone can help enhance and improve the quality of sleep. Good levels of progesterone can also help us fall asleep and stay asleep. A functional medicine doctor who specializes in bio-identical hormones can check all your hormone levels to determine those that are high or low, and help keep these in balance. This was a game changer for me!
If there is nothing of concern in your lab results, then it’s time to take a serious look at your life. How is your sleep hygiene? Do you try to stick with the same sleep and wake schedule? Is your room cool and dark enough? Do you sleep with the TV on? Is your phone off and out of your room? How about the Wi-Fi – consider turning this off while you sleep to see if this helps. Avoid eating too close to bedtime as your body temperature will not level out properly and may cause you to wake up. Try not to drink liquid too close to bedtime if you find yourself waking up to use the bathroom.
Check in with your stress levels. Do you find your mind racing when you are trying to fall asleep? Are you staying active enough during the day? Try to adopt some mindfulness techniques such as 4-square-breathing or meditation. Try to get exercise each day. Simply getting out for a thirty-minute walk will help balance the busy mind.
Are you drinking enough water? One of the most telling signs of dehydration is fatigue, so simply staying hydrated can help alleviate exhaustion. When we sweat, use stimulants, or experience stress, we lose water along with chloride, magnesium, sodium, and potassium. The depletion of these key minerals puts stress on the body which tires us out. Not surprisingly, 75% of people in North America are chronically dehydrated. We need to be consuming an average of three litres of water each day. While we consume 1.5 litres from our food, we still need to drink 1.5 – 2 litres. If you consume a high protein diet or if you are pregnant or exposed to toxins, your intake need is even higher. There is little water in processed foods so take a good look at your diet to ensure you are eating high-quality, whole foods.
The top hydrating foods are watermelon, coconut water, strawberries, melons, peaches, citrus fruits, lettuce, celery juice, cucumber, bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, cauliflower, and cabbage, as well as broth and soups (preferably homemade). Hydrating fruits and vegetables contain sugar, water and electrolytes, and nutrients that are all vital for good health.
Avoid sports drinks or store-bought flavour enhanced waters to hydrate, as they contain artificial colour; preservatives, such as calcium disodium EDTA and potassium sorbate; artificial sweeteners, such as sucralose and acesulfame potassium, taurine, sodium, hexametaphosphate; and artificial flavours. All these ingredients can cause a host of side-effects and are not necessary for hydration. There are some clean electrolyte packs you could use occasionally but be sure to always read the ingredient list to ensure you are not ingesting unnecessary chemicals.
Take a good hard look at your diet. Are you eating a variety of healthy food, including lots of vegetables, fruit, protein, and carbohydrates? Have you been skipping meals or relying too much on processed foods or stimulants? Are you getting enough calories to sustain your energy requirements? Are you eating enough fibre? Are you going to the bathroom enough? Without enough fibre in the diet, hormones, toxins, and heavy metals stay in our body, where they are reabsorbed. This can lead to major hormonal issues (PMS, menopausal symptoms), nutrient deficiency, weight gain, toxicity, high cholesterol; all of which puts strain on the body – leading to tiredness and fatigue.
If you are sick and tired of being tired, thankfully there are ways you can get to the bottom of it. On one hand, it may be something simple like caffeine too close to bedtime or an easy to detect vitamin deficiency. On the other hand, it could be something more serious like heart disease or POTS. With a good hard look at your lifestyle habits and a visit to a functional medicine doctor; one who spends time with you and is open to running a variety of diagnostic tests to rule things out, you will be able to get on the road to recovery.
For further reading about how to advocate for yourself at the doctor’s please check out Tips for Self Advocacy.
You can also find my Roadmap to Self-Advocacy article here.
]]>You can use either granulated sugar or sea salt to make your scrub. Sugar granules are rounder and less abrasive than salt, making them gentler on the skin. Sugar is a natural source of glycolic acid (AHA), which helps break down layers of dead skin and smooths the skin’s surface. Sugar also helps speed up rehydration, keeping skin conditioned and moisturized.
Salt scrubs are grittier and therefore useful in smoothing rougher areas like elbows and feet. Naturally detoxifying, salt can help draw out toxins and relieve congestion promoting healthy skin cell turnover.
Baking soda has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties and is a great addition to your DIY body scrub. It can help reduce acne breakouts and manage inflammation of the skin. Baking soda is also a natural exfoliant and will help your skin will feel silky smooth.
Pick your oil - get creative! Some of our favourites are, jojoba (easily absorbs into skin), argan (rich source of vitamin E, rich in linoleic and oleic fatty acids), avocado (rich in vitamins A, D, and E and helps moisturize and protect your skin from damaging UV rays), macadamia nut (moisturizing and softening on the skin), or fractionated coconut oil (rich in lauric acid which promotes healthy skin). Try to use organic oils if possible.
Add your essential oils. Mix it up and try a different EO each time you make the body scrub! Try our Midsummers Sage essential oil, a beautiful blend of frankincense, ylang-ylang and clary sage which is incredible for skin and an amazing mood booster! Or try geranium (useful for dermatitis, eczema, acne, congested skin, dermatitis, mature skin, oily skin), carrot seed (contains substantial amounts of vitamins A, C, B1 and B2 and is useful for dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, toning, arthritis), peppermint (anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiseptic). Be sure to be selective with your EO’s as not all oils are created equally, many of the ones sold at drug stores contain synthetic materials.
Mix up and softly scrub your skin in the shower. Do a cool water rinse.
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I am a big ball of stress when I travel so to help alleviate my travel jitters and stress, I begin to plan and pack at least a week in advance of my departure date. I start by pulling out all my travel documents, and if I am travelling with my dog, I pack her travel case with her documents, treats, poopbags and a small water dish.
I write a list of items I plan to pack, along with a list of items I will need to pick up to take with me, and start gathering my carry-on bag items. My carry-on bag always includes a small bottle of face mist for hydration, my ear-plugs (for those crying babies or loud talkers), a new book downloaded to my Kobo e-reader, a good playlist, charged earbuds and a few movies or episodes from a tv series. I also tend to throw a shawl or scarf in my bag in case the plane runs cold, and my neck pillow of course! I also start planning what healthy food I need to have in the house on travel day so that I have stuff on hand to pack lunches and snacks to take with me on the plane.
Incorporating some wellness tips and tricks are essential for me when travelling. Since I started on my wellness journey, finding ways to stick to my goals is vital for me to feel my best.
What are the must-see attractions that you want to explore in the area in which you are traveling? Do some research in advance to find those hidden gems and off the beaten track sights. Planning will also help foster a stress -free vacation.
If you are a poor sleeper like I am, pack your travel fan or sound machine, ear plugs, eye mask, melatonin, or whatever it is you need to get a good night’s sleep. I even pack my silk pillowcase as I hate the smell of bleach on the hotel pillowcases. Listen to your body – if you are tired – rest! Travel can be tiring. Lugging around bags in and out of airports, and on and off planes, trains, buses, and taxis takes its toll on the body, as can crossing time zones and long days of exploring.
I pack my water bottle in my suitcase when I travel and fill it on the go. Did you know that 75% of people are chronically dehydrated? Staying hydrated helps regulate our temperature and cushion our joints, aids in digestion and waste elimination. All things we need to be mindful of during travel!
Finding healthy food choices during travel can be a challenge – and as I hate “wasting” a meal (i.e., just eating something for the sake of it), in advance of travel, I often research restaurants and cafes I would like to try while visiting a new country, state or city. Do your best to incorporate lots of fresh fruit and vegetables into your meals, clean proteins and complex carbohydrates. Try to avoid sugar when you can and be sure to get enough fibre through-out the day!
if you are on the go, grab a piece of fruit, yogurt or a smoothie. It will give you the energy needed to explore the sights and keep you from being tempted to grab an unhealthy snack between activities.
Don’t forget to pack those running shoes and walk everywhere you can! Skip the elevator and take the stairs. Plan a kayak or canoe trip, swim to an island, hike the mountains, explore the forests, or rent a bike! The ideas are endless.
Dedicate a few minutes every-day to stretch before you start your day. Throw your resistance bands, a small foam roller or a massage ball into your suitcase and take with you.
Just like at home, we can easily overdo it with our screen-time. Enjoy the sights rather than see them through your phone or devices. Choose reading at night over social media scrolling and you will enjoy a much better sleep.
Take time each day to breathe deeply during your vacation. Incorporate the four-square breathing technique or find short snippets of time for a short meditation session. It will help you relax and off-set the stress of travelling.
Regardless of whether you are travelling or staying home, in order to stay healthy, it is important to prioritize making healthy choices. Just because you are travelling doesn’t mean you can’t continue to prioritize healthy food (lots of fruit and veg), exercise (don’t forget to pack those running shoes), and lots of good sleep!
Happy travels!
]]>The healing touch of a massage has been used for thousands of years to cure and soothe the mind, body, and soul. Massages have many benefits including relaxation, improved circulation, reduced stress, increased mobility, improved skin tone, and lymphatic drainage.
It is so easy to make your own massage oil. All you need is a carrier oil (an oil that dilutes essential oils and distributes or ”carries” them on the skin), a few of your favourite essential oils, and a bottle for storing your oil.
There are many different carrier oils. Some of our favourites are, jojoba (easily absorbs into skin), argan (rich source of vitamin E, rich in linoleic and oleic fatty acids), avocado (rich in vitamins A, D, and E and helps moisturize and protect your skin from damaging UV rays), macadamia nut (moisturizing and softening on the skin), or fractionated coconut oil (rich in lauric acid which promotes healthy skin). Mix two ounces of one of these carrier oils with four to five drops each of three or four of your favourite essential oils. Some of our favourite essential oils for relaxing are lavender, chamomile, geranium, and frankincense, but get creative and try mixing up different concoctions.
Massage is a nice way to connect with one another, and it will help to alleviate stress, so treat your spouse or partner to a healing massage and ask for one in return! I would probably hazard a guess that we could all use a massage at this point.
When life returns to normal, and the spa's reopen, be sure to bring your homemade massage oils when you visit a massage therapist. It is a much cleaner choice than many of the lotions or oils they typically stock!
For more DIY natural beauty tips and recipes to try at home check out: DIY Bodyscrub – Go Ahead, Pamper yourself!
*When using citrus or bergamot essential oil please be careful not to wear in the sun as they can cause your skin to be sun sensitive.
]]>The healing touch of a massage has been used for thousands of years to cure and soothe the mind, body, and soul. Massages have many benefits including relaxation, improved circulation, reduced stress, increased mobility, improved skin tone, and lymphatic drainage.
It is so easy to make your own massage oil. All you need is a carrier oil (an oil that dilutes essential oils and distributes or ”carries” them on the skin), a few of your favourite essential oils, and a bottle for storing your oil.
There are many different carrier oils. Some of our favourites are, jojoba (easily absorbs into skin), argan (rich source of vitamin E, rich in linoleic and oleic fatty acids), avocado (rich in vitamins A, D, and E and helps moisturize and protect your skin from damaging UV rays), macadamia nut (moisturizing and softening on the skin), or fractionated coconut oil (rich in lauric acid which promotes healthy skin). Mix two ounces of one of these carrier oils with four to five drops each of three or four of your favourite essential oils. Some of our favourite essential oils for relaxing are lavender, chamomile, geranium, and frankincense, but get creative and try mixing up different concoctions.
Massage is a nice way to connect with one another, and it will help to alleviate stress, so treat your spouse or partner to a healing massage and ask for one in return! I would probably hazard a guess that we could all use a massage at this point.
When life returns to normal, and the spa's reopen, be sure to bring your homemade massage oils when you visit a massage therapist. It is a much cleaner choice than many of the lotions or oils they typically stock!
For more DIY natural beauty tips and recipes to try at home check out: DIY Bodyscrub – Go Ahead, Pamper yourself!
*When using citrus or bergamot essential oil please be careful not to wear in the sun as they can cause your skin to be sun sensitive.
]]>One of the first products I quickly switched out for a more natural version was my antiperspirant. For those that are not aware, deodorant and anti-perspirant are two different things. Deodorants mask odour, while antiperspirants stop your sweat glands from producing sweat. Antiperspirants contain aluminum, and it is the aluminum that clogs your sweat glands by forming a gel-like plug that prevents you from sweating.
We all know that our skin is the biggest organ in our body but some may not be aware that it is a part of our detox pathway. Why would we want to restrict our body from doing something as natural as sweating?
Many of the books and studies I came across in my deep dive into natural beauty products, indicated a potential link between some of the ingredients found in antiperspirants and an increased risk of breast cancer.
Dr Chris Exley at Keele University (United Kingdom) made a correlation between the occurrence and location of breast-cancer tumors and the rise of aluminum-based antiperspirants after noticing that women who had mastectomies had high levels of aluminum in their breast . Dr. Exley made the comment, “you could make a leap of faith that the two could be linked.”
I was horrified to learn that the antiperspirants I had been using for decades, contained so many toxic ingredients. I found it even more distressing that I was learning this information so late in life, knowing that my mother, sisters, daughter, and girlfriends had also been slathering their underarms with this toxic chemical soup that could potentially do great harm.
It is important for me to note that although there have been extensive studies done over the years about a potential link between aluminum-based antiperspirants and breast cancer, there is still no scientific consensus.
However, throughout my research, I continued to uncover study after study showing potential correlations between aluminium and issues with breast health. Another study done in 2017 by EbioMedicine, found that “women who used underarm cosmetic products (UCP’s) may lead to an accumulation of aluminum in breast tissue”. The study also showed that women under the age of 30 who reported using UCP’s several times per day “may even have an increased risk for breast cancer”. The study ultimately recommended that women at younger ages, “should be careful with the use of UCP’s and avoid excessive use”.
I was not about to wait around for “scientific consensus” before I stopped using products on my body that contained chemicals that “may or may not” have potential long-term health risks.
Thankfully, as more and more consumers start to increase their awareness in the area of health and wellness, the demand for safer, cleaner and more natural beauty products continues to grow. It is now much easier to find non-toxic products as the variety of options expands.
Some other ingredients beside aluminum you should try to avoid in your antiperspirants and deodorants are:
Look for deodorants that contain baking soda or arrowroot as absorbents and natural microbials like coconut oil. Essential oils are typically added to add fragrance and mask odors.
Be aware that even with something labeled natural or clean, you still need to be conscious and read labels. There are a few apps that can help you determine whether a product is clean or not. Try the Think Dirty app.
For the cleanest option, try making your own!
*When using essential oils, be sure to buy ones that aren’t already diluted. Oils should be 100% pure. Try our Midsummers Sage EO blend! A beautiful blend of Clary Sage, Ylang Ylang and Frankincense.
You can also read more about My Journey Into Wellness
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Face oils are a new phenomenon and many women are asking if they are good for our skin. I began experimenting with face oils about eight months ago when I started making my own body lotions. I had multiple bottles of different oils I had purchased for these body lotions and decided the next natural step would be to mix different oil concoctions for my face.
I was a bit wary of trying oils on my face as I was worried that my skin would clog and I would end up with break-outs. I decided to try it anyway and see for myself.
Since jumping in with both feet, I am a convert. I now mix different oils for morning and night and have not used a cream or moisturizer on my face in over six months. I have combination skin, dry in areas and oily in others. My skin has never looked better; I no longer have dry scaly patches or the early signs of rosacea. My face always feels hydrated with the moisture locked in.
I have experimented with many different oils, from macadamia nut, to rose hip oil (acts as a natural alternative to retinol as it is high in vitamin A); sweet almond oil (rich in vitamin E and helps reverse sun damage), jojoba oil (is biocompatible with our skin’s natural sebum), argan oil (provides rich moisture) and coconut oil, among others.
Because oils are lipophilic, they can penetrate deep into the skin, trapping water and moisture, while keeping toxins out. When you think of skin oils, think moisture barrier. Some oils also help strengthen the skin’s own natural barrier which is a bonus.
Although plant oils are a rich source of antioxidants and replenishing emollients, they don’t tend to contain enough good sources of skin-restoring ingredients. Depending of the type of skin you have, you may want to consider adding in a variety of skin restoring serums such as vitamin C, peptides, squalene or retinol, along with some hydration-boosting ones such as ceramides and hyaluronic acid. Use these serums before your oils. If you decide to continue with a moisturizer, then use your serums first, then moisturizer, then your face oil. Always follow in the daytime with your favourite SPF! (see steps below!)
If you do tend to have acne prone skin, there are some oils that can be too heavy. You also want to select oils that are high in lioleic acid, so stick with hemp seed, rosehip seed , argan, jojoba, grapeseed oil, marula, and evening-primrose oils.
For dry skin, look for oils rich in oleic acid, the best ones are jojoba, rosehip seed, macadamia nut, olive, unrefined coconut, sunflower, sweet almond, avocado, tamanu, neem (this one doesn’t smell great but it is effective for dry skin), castor, marula and argan oils. For combination skin, try jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, rosehip oil, coconut oil, apricot kernel oil or sunflower oil.
For aging skin, try rosehip seed oil, evening primrose oil, sweet almond oil seabuckthorn oil or avocado oil
If you still aren’t inspired to make your own oils, there are many different organic face and body lines popping up. True Botanicals is one I like. Their line has a variety of products that work on different skin types. Tata Harper is also a well-known brand in the organic arena, and NakedPoppy, a company that carries a wide range of brands that they heavily screen and try themselves before they recommend.
When you buy plant oils, always buy cold-pressed oils as this method of extraction preserves their beneficial qualities. Look for organic as well!
I buy my oils at natural or health food stores and find these products typically have no frills packaging which is easier on the pocketbook than pricey bottled oils from drug or cosmetic stores.
Pick up a few and give them a try!
Step One: Cleanse.
Step Two: Apply serums.
Step Three: If using, apply moisturizer.
Step Four: Spray your face with a hydrosol mist or splash of water – try our Midsummers Sage face mist - this helps “trap the water” in your skin as it will allow the face oil to act as a humectant.
Step Five: Warm a few drops of face oil between your hands and then press into your skin. Add a drop or two of Midsummers Sage essential oil, a blend of three of the top essential oils for skin - Clary Sage, Ylang-Ylang and Frankincense! Step Six: During daylight, don’t forget your SPF!
Read more about how to use and experiment with oils at home in our feature article below!
Its Fun And Easy To Make Your Own Massage Oil!
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