Environmental Health Archives - Page 5 of 7

The Ultimate Self Care Gift Guide

On November 24, 2019

In Anxiety & Depression, Chronic Pain, Emotional Health, Environmental Health, Lifestyle Blog, Physical Health, Spiritual Health, Stress Management

Find the perfect gift this season!

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No matter what time of year it is, we all want to find that perfect gift for our loved ones and not have anxiety over shopping. Wouldn’t it be nice to significantly lower the stress of gift-giving? Some of the best gifts I have received were things I can use to help in my own stress management efforts. I love gifts of relaxation and also gifts of experiences. Why not help someone else reach an improved level of health and wellness and offer them some well-deserved stress relief.

One of my favorite places to shop is Amazon. There is a huge variety of awesome and affordable gifts that you can shop for out of the comfort of your home. What’s better than that! Don’t mind at all skipping the crazy crowds and having gifts delivered to my front door! I put together this list of self-care gifts that I am sure will be the favorite presents at your family gathering this year.

Click on the images to check them out!

20 Stress Relief Gifts Your Family Will Love

1. My Favorite Massage Pillow to relax and restore your energy

2. Aromatherapy Wrap to soothe those stiff muscles and reduce pain

3. A Good Foam Roller to loosen up your body and increase flexibility

4. Exercise Resistance Bands to stretch those tense muscles

5. 24/7 Relief & Recovery Cream for quick and natural pain relief

6. Sound Machine to help you unwind and fall asleep

7. Essential Oil Diffuser to add lovely scents in your home

8. Epsom Salt Bath Bundle for achy muscles and joints

9. Foot Bath with Heat & Massage to relieve those tired feet

HoMedics Bubble Mate Foot Spa, Toe-Touch Control, Removable Pumice Stone, Fb-55

10. Essential Oil Roller Bottle to help calm your mood

11. Weighted Blanket to feel comfy, warm and safe

12. My Favorite Pillow to get a good night sleep

13. My Favorite Tablet to play games and read your favorite books plus more!

14. Alexa Smart Display Screen to look at recipes and listen to music plus a whole lot more

15. Virtual Reality Headset to play cool games and escape to your favorite destinations

16. Happy Light to lift your mood on cold and gloomy days

17. My Favorite Beach Chair with a Cooler to use on your favorite beach getaway or in your own backyard

Tommy Bahama 2020 Backpack Cooler Chair with Storage Pouch and Towel Bar

18. Amazon Gift Card for the quick and easy gift everyone loves

19. Massage Therapy Gift Certificates to relax your body, mind, and soul

20. Stress Solution Program- 6 Weeks of Private Wellness Coaching to help you cope with stress and have a toolset to manage your life better

May this season bring you nothing but stress-free shopping and pleasure! With this list, I know it will be hard not to indulge in yourself or give the gift of self-care to a loved one. Go for it — you deserve it!

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.

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6 Simple Ways to Practice Self-Care at Work

By Jill Ciampi

On November 5, 2019

In Anxiety & Depression, Chronic Pain, Emotional Health, Environmental Health, Lifestyle Blog, Physical Health, Stress Management

Almost everyone I talk to these days experiences some kind of stress at work. It is natural to have bad days even if you love your job. I love my job and am so grateful to be where I am but it is not easy running your own business. I do everything by myself and right now do not have co-workers or staff to bounce ideas off of. That can be stressful at times to have to make all of the decisions by myself.

However, it does not take away from the fact that I love doing what I do and I love my schedule and the freedom of it. Let’s just say it would be so hard to go back to having a boss telling me what to do or how to do it. I have never liked that part— being told what to do. I realize most people do what they have to do to make a living and know we can’t all love our jobs.

To that, I say work towards your dream job even if you have to spend some time doing something you don’t enjoy. But be mindful when it may be time to leave for something better if you really hate where you are at. It is never too late to make a change! You have a choice.

When I worked in Human Resources, I used to love having my co-workers to lean on and support me when I had a bad day. Knowing what I know now, I would love to have had some simple reminders on how to get through those crazy work days when I felt like losing it! I was thinking of some ways you too could have some sort of stress relief and practice self-care at work.

6 Self Care Tips for Work

Make a checklist of tasks to accomplish.

Take the time to prioritize your day each morning. List the top 3 things you want to get done that day. Try to tackle the most time-consuming task first and get it over with. Is it just me or does anyone else still love writing lists? I find it so satisfying being able to cross another thing off my list! The fewer thoughts clogging up my brain the better! In other words, writing stuff down is a good way to clear up your thoughts and stay organized as well.

Practice breathing techniques.

When you feel yourself starting to get overwhelmed, stop, and take a breath! I remember working in an office environment and feeling like I held my breath most of the day. When I would leave, I would always let out these deep breaths and sighs which was a sign that I didn’t really breathe a lot during the day.

Shallow breathing causes more anxiety. There are so many techniques so you need to find one that works best for you and your environment. I like to keep it simple.. breathe in through your nose for a few seconds and then blow out that air through your mouth. Try this a few times and it will calm you down and trigger the relaxation response of your nervous system. Here are some other styles of breathing you can try.

Take time away from your desk.

Getting away from your desk is a good practice to give your mind and body a break. Sometimes it’s hard to take a break but it is necessary to have that time to reset and be productive the rest of the day. Enlist some co-workers and go for a walk in the fresh air. If you don’t have time for that, then just get up and do some easy stretches at your desk to help break up your day.

Just move around and get the blood flow pumping! If you work from home, try to get out of your office and head over to another room in your house for a break or go outside for a while. You will feel refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the day.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Hopefully, you have supportive co-workers and an understanding boss. I know that’s not always the case. But if you feel overwhelmed with a project or the amount of work you have… say something! Professionally express your feelings and maybe you can get some help getting stuff done.

Share with a co-worker or boss that you feel overloaded. Talk about solutions and don’t just complain. You will most likely feel a little better expressing yourself and getting it off your chest. There are plenty of times I try to take on too much when it is not necessary or good for my health either. It is ok to ask for help!

Find a way to laugh at work.

This one is important. Laughing can change your attitude and whole mood about something. It switches you right over to that parasympathetic nervous system and helps calm you down. Find a couple of minutes every day to laugh by watching a quick funny video or read something amusing to you. It is so good for your body and mind to laugh every day!

Do a brain dump before you leave for the day.

If you can avoid it, don’t take work home with you. For example, write a list of tasks to clear your mind of work-related items. Then go home and have an enjoyable night and restore your energy for the next day!

What will you try to do to lessen the anxiety and stress of work? Try one thing this week and tell me how it goes!

xoxo

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.

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Live Your Best Life – Reasons to Hire a Wellness Coach

By Jill Ciampi

On October 23, 2019

In Anxiety & Depression, Chronic Pain, Emotional Health, Environmental Health, Getting Organized, Lifestyle Blog, Nutritional Health, Physical Health, Spiritual Health, Stress Management

A Wellness coach guides their clients to live the best version of themselves. At some point in life, we all need a little extra help to overcome the obstacles. Suffering from Anxiety or struggling with chronic pain or illness? I know how you feel. My personal journey has been tough. However, I have come out the other side and want you to as well.

Have you ever thought of getting help and just didn’t know where to start? Besides being a Licensed Massage Therapist, I am also a certified Whole Health Educator™ and Wellness Coach.

My holistic approach focuses on the whole person which includes discussing lifestyle habits and the 5 Aspects of Whole Health including Physical, Emotional, Nutritional, Environmental, and Spiritual™©.

First, coaching sessions are customized for the client’s needs and have an emphasis on stress management. You may be thinking well what does that even mean? Let me clear it up a bit for you.

The Whole Health Coach interacts with their client in a mindful and respectful presence. In other words, the coach invites the client into the center of their healing process. Similarly, information is shared with clients at the level of understanding they are most comfortable with.

Moreover, a “big-picture” concept is the healing strategy that is used. For instance, the Wellness coach encourages the client to identify their needs and make changes they feel are appropriate.

Primary Tasks of a Wellness Coach

1. Provide a clear & simple explanation of the body systems & their relationship to the body as a whole.

2. Share the research of stress research pioneer, Hans Selye, MD, Ph.D., on stress adaptation. Also, teach the anatomy, physiology, and nutrition of how human beings adapt to their environment.

3. Act as an information resource, affording the client a wide range of information on current research, treatments, and self-care. The Whole Health Education® model does not direct the client by suggestion, recommendation, advice, or conclusion. This model invites them to discern with his/her physician, family, partner the strategy or strategies that, for the client, foster natural compliance.

4. Facilitate their client’s ownership and understanding of the cause and effect of health and disease. Also, simplifies health information so the client can make clearly informed health care decisions. Then the client can make transformational changes.

Someone in Your Corner

In my practice, I offer services geared towards middle-aged women who are overwhelmed with stress, anxiety, and suffer from chronic pain.

I teach them how to deal with the emotional struggles of having pain, anxiety, and a powerful mind/body connection. Therefore, the goal is for clients to manage stress better, gain a positive outlook, and age gracefully without depending on drugs. Above all, this type of transformational Coaching offers natural solutions to stress and chronic pain.

Sometimes, you just need a little help to help you overcome those obstacles that are holding you back from enjoying life. Learn how to overcome Anxiety and cope with the struggles of having chronic pain and illness.

Set up a complimentary Transformation Discovery Call with Jill DeMasi today!

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage stress, chronic pain, and anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.

Subscribe to my Lifestyle Blog!

Tips to Combat Anxiety While Traveling

By Jill Ciampi

On August 14, 2019

In Anxiety & Depression, Chronic Pain, Emotional Health, Environmental Health, Lifestyle Blog, Physical Health, Spiritual Health, Stress Management

Just returned from a quick trip to Myrtle Beach in South Carolina with my boyfriend. Traveling always intensifies my anxiety although I love to see new places and enjoy going on vacation. I have been fortunate enough to be able to travel over the years but have not yet been to my dream place… Italy. In the meantime, I do my best to get away a couple times per year to an island or somewhere in the United States. There is so much to see right here in our beautiful USA!

Anyone who has Anxiety knows how you can feel about traveling. I put a lot of pressure on myself to have enough energy and to feel good on vacation. There are a lot of anticipatory anxious feelings about leaving home and going to an unknown place. Here’s just a sampling of the thoughts that go through my head… will I feel good enough to participate in activities, am I going to have any pain, what am I going to eat that’s not going to bother my stomach, am I going to be social enough, happy enough and not moody, will I have any anxiety attacks while on vacation and in front of other people? And hundreds of other thoughts. Who knows what I am talking about? It can be truly exhausting.

In the past, I have felt pretty good on vacations. Just being in a different environment and not having the daily responsibilities to worry about lowers my stress level quite a bit. It seems to depend on my emotional state and the circumstances in my life. The hope is to just have a small break from the chronic pain and low energy levels I feel most days. Unfortunately, I did not feel good for most of this trip to South Carolina. I tried not to let this get me down. But it was hard not to especially since I waited so long for a get away. There was a desperate need to get away from daily living and chores like laundry, cleaning the kids rooms and house and also my work. I needed a change a pace and scenery and alone time with my partner in life.

What I realized is that I just need to be grateful for the opportunity to get away and reset. We have had an intense couple of years and were not able to do much of what we wanted. So self care is high on the list for the rest of this year! My expectations are always high when I vacation for some reason. I was disappointed that I didn’t feel my best and that I had to take antibiotics which always make me feel more anxious and moody and really flares my IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). Anyone else experience issues when you travel? I know I am not alone in this. Maybe it will help if I share some tips of what I do to keep my anxiety at bay while traveling.

Tips to Combat Anxiety While Traveling

Lower your expectations. Part of anxiety are those nagging anticipatory thoughts that build up in your head that are not true and most likely will never happen. Mind over matter (the use of willpower to overcome physical problems) is a powerful anti-anxiety tool and it works! Train yourself to replace those negative thoughts with positive ones. It takes practice!!

Be prepared. Have a plan for yourself if you feel anxious. Whatever works for you. Make sure to have that essential oil, your vitamins and prescription meds, Tums, your meditation app and so on.

Tell whoever you are traveling with your feelings and express your emotions. More than half the time, once you talk about your anxious feelings they will go away. Hopefully you have a supportive partner to travel with and talk to!

Distract yourself. Usually when we are involved in an activity we don’t have time for those anxious thoughts to overwhelm us. Keep yourself busy and just enjoy the time you are away. Remember to breathe!

Stay off electronics. Too much screen time increases anxiety. Put your electronics away and take in what is around you. I promise you will notice a lot more in nature and your surroundings if your head isn’t buried in a device. It will also improve your relationships and deepen your connections.

Try not to stray too far from what you normally eat or drink. It is no fun being hungover or having digestive issues when you are not at home. Enjoy some extra treats but don’t overindulge!

Traveling is amazing but can be stressful so try to find the good in everything and enjoy the break from everyday life. Comment with some of your own tips for traveling with Anxiety. Enjoy the journey and not the destination!

xoxo

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage Stress, Chronic Pain, and Anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.

Subscribe to my Lifestyle Blog!

Roots of Illness- Part 2

By Jill Ciampi

On June 19, 2019

In Anxiety & Depression, Chronic Pain, Emotional Health, Environmental Health, Lifestyle Blog, Nutritional Health, Physical Health, Spiritual Health, Stress Management

There are many origins of disease in the body. Functional medicine philosophy is finding the root causes of disease. Let’s look at additional roots of illness I learned about in my NIWH course presented by New York Times -bestselling author, lecturer, and practicing physician Mark A. Hyman, M.D. Each of these can be explored separately in the future because there is just so much more information to know and understand. In case you missed it, here is the first post about the Roots of Illness.

4 Causes of Disease

Gut and Digestive Health

Gut problems are the most common reason that people go to the doctor. Problems in the gut are usually connected to some other underlying issue in the body. The digestive system’s job is to keep out the bad bacteria and let in the good healthy nutrients. If there is damage in the digestive tube then the nutrients cannot be assimilated and absorbed.

Bacteria in the gut have many purposes which include digesting food, producing vitamins, regulating hormones, excreting toxins, and making healing chemicals. Diseases can arise with unresolved issues in the gut.

An excess of allergic foods like wheat, corn, dairy, soy, eggs, yeast, bacteria, and parasites are damaging to the intestines because they are all inflammatory.

A leaky gut is when toxins, foods, and bacteria leak into the bloodstream and then cause illness. A low fiber, high sugar processed food diet will cause this to happen.

Toxic Load

Toxins create a burden and eventually cause break down in the body over time.

Being exposed to mercury, mold or other chemicals weaken the immune system and overload the liver which is our detoxifying organ.

Lack of activity will slow down blood flow, circulation, and lymph flow so that toxins will remain in the body and not be eliminated. Lack of sleep and constipation will also slow down the elimination of toxins and is harmful to your health. Therefore, an abundance of toxins can most definitely result in the disease process.

Creating Energy

Our bodies need energy consistently throughout the day so that our cells and organs can work appropriately.

The mitochondria are the place in the cell that burns food and oxygen to make us energy. This area is easily injured by toxins, infections, allergens, stress, and eating too many calories.

It affects our metabolism and can quickly lead to burn out, make us age more quickly and feel tired and also produce aches and pains. Exercising in a smart way helps to create more energy otherwise it is just another negative stress on the body. Not getting enough nutrients – vitamins, minerals, water, oxygen all affect our energy production.

Mind-Body Connection

Our attitudes, social network, community, and spiritual beliefs all have a role in affecting our biological systems. In other words, the body affects the mind and the mind affects the body.

Imbalances in hormones cause digestive issues, depression, anxiety, degenerative, and other chronic diseases. As well as vitamin and mineral deficiencies, food allergies, and heavy metal toxicity.

There is a chemical reaction when we have a thought or emotion and it gets communicated to the rest of the body and can cause both positive and negative physiological consequences.

For instance, changing your thoughts, relaxation techniques, good sleep patterns, and building a solid social network are all ways to balance out the mind and body.

Hyman, M. (2032) Functional Medicine NIWH media course. The Seven Roots of Illness. Retrieved from http://www.classroom.wholepersonhealthcare.org

Make Healthy Changes & Prevent Disease

It is good to take into consideration all of these roots of illness. Above all, prevention is the key to avoid disease. Tell me what are some ways you can make some healthy changes in your life to avoid aging and disease?

xoxo

Jill DeMasi is a Lifestyle Blogger, Licensed Massage Therapist, and a Certified Wellness Coach with a passion for helping others manage Stress, Chronic Pain, and Anxiety. Learn more about her journey and wellness practice that offers natural solutions to stress at www.AtTheHeartofWellness.com.