PODCAST: Energy Shifts & 2 Health Tips

I’ve been having some powerful energy dynamics in my life of late that I haven’t been properly channeling and using or directing in creative ways -such as this podcast for all of you. So I found my Man Gen self frustrated and experiencing disrupted sleep

Listen to Episode # 129 : Energy Shifts & Health Tips : Find - A Joy To Be Me : On - iTunes, iHeartRadio, Stitcher or Spotify 

I’ve been reading this book, thanks to my friend Kaitlyn for that recommendation as it came up in a conversation we had about one of my own personal blocks/ patterns. She suggested I do an exercise from the book so I looked it up, read the free portion of it, bought it on kindle and devoured several chapters immediately. Literally on every page there were many 'holy fuck that’s potent' moments going on for me as the words pierced so deep for me. It was clearly the medicine I needed in the moment. The concept of the book is shadow work but from a perspective of making your shadow art instead of judging it. Accepting the patterns you unconsciously let run the show. 

Over the years I’ve been learning to truly face myself and SEE myself and sit with myself and face my pain and work to integrate the lessons. At my core I’m the same me -but I feel like a new me over and over and over because I’ve been learning to shed the layers and the things I didn’t need to carry or own to be in my fullness. This book is more potent now than ever as I’m clearly ready to integrate this type of shadow work - it honestly feels SEXY af to me.

I encourage you to learn to look at yourself deeply, let your fears be felt, stated and seen -let them OUT so you can get to the good stuff, the love and joy that awaits you-the freedom. The body prioritizes fear before love. Without risking sharing specific fear, love is dormant and fear gains momentum. We have to see our fears and lean into them so we can learn from them. If you can see your fear and learn not to judge it but instead play with it - to me that’s a big win!

Until you make the unconscious conscious it will run the show and you will call it fate. 
I definitely recommend this book to anyone who knows they need to dig in deeper to overcome those stories and loops you find yourself in or repeating that you can’t seem to get to the bottom of. Existential Kink: Unmask Your Shadow and Embrace Your Power ( A method for getting what you want by getting off on what you don't) by Carolyn Elliot. 

I know, I know the title might freak some people out, but there is gold beyond that's worth get over the title so you can go deeper with yourself. 

Shadow work plays a big role in my work with clients.  I see it all the time; people have unconscious blocks running the show and often they can’t be their own mirror to see what’s really going on in the background. Not everyone makes the same progress because many people are yet able to recognize their unconscious patterns in the background running the damn show.

It’s wild when you finally see a pattern and make it conscious. Eventually the thing that was so hard for you to do just maybe happens in a state of flow like me suddenly stopping coffee and changing my eating habits when I had no plans to do so.

That’s just a tiny example but you catch the point. So if you are really struggling with creating healthy patterns in your life perhaps it’s time to find out what stories are lurking in the background stopping you from progress. And yes it’s got the word kink in the title but you can handle it I promise.

That said, I wanted to share a couple of health tips if you will based on some common conversations I’ve been having lately:

The first is why I don’t drink with meals. 

I want to let you all in on a little secret. It'’s something most people are so confounded by and when I go out to eat. My server is so confused and asks repeatedly: are you sure I can’t get you anything to drink. And of course people I’m with often ask why I don’t drink anything with my meals - this comes up particularly when I eat out with others (especially for the first time) and then of course because they know what I do for a living they then are curious so it becomes a mini on the spot lesson of sorts.
  

So why no water with a meal? 

Water dilutes your stomach acid. Ice water is the worst because it causes fats and oils in the food to cling together, which impedes their absorption. Drink water ten minutes before or two to three hours after eating. At restaurants ask for water with no ice, or ask for a cup of hot water. This water is for swallowing our enzymes not for diluting your gastric juices.

So maybe consider trying that out and see how it goes for you : none of us needs to be slogging down a bunch of tap ice water with our meals - maybe we can normalize this - IDK?

Ok with that shared, the next thing that has come up a bunch is around vitamin C. I’m honestly surprised more people are not aware of how important it is enough to make it a priority. I myself didn’t at one point even though I intellectually knew plenty about it. Now I notice a difference when I don’t get enough : so I wanted to share a little about it and then remind you of a resource I already created around vitamin C. Go back and listen to that episode or read the blog I shared in detail on how to approach vitamin C supplementation and my favorite brands you can find through my online dispensary.

Vitamin C is an important cofactor for both adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla. Because of how we overuse the sympathetic nervous branch of our nervous system in our culture we could all stand to reassess if we are obtaining this nutrient sufficiently to sustain our adrenals demands. Even if you think you eat enough? Do you really on a daily basis? Vitamin C is heat sensitive and it’s most available in ripe fresh foods - keep that in mind.

So last week I did some quick research on how in light of vitamin c’s role in adrenal function how it might then also impact sleep. What many do not know is that vitamin C plays a significant role in boosting sleep health. Studies have shown that individuals with greater concentrations of vitamin C have better sleep than those with reduced concentrations. Those who met their demands were also more resilient to the impacts of occasional sleepless evenings.

To me the more we put a demand or stress on our bodies the more we will need to pay attention to this nutrient.  Just think about how when you are stressed you don’t sleep as well -right -so vitamin C is not something to ignore / nor is managing and reducing your stress as a way of life.

Research has shown that those with reduced concentrations of vitamin C in their blood experience more sleep disturbances at night. This involves waking up commonly during the night and being unable to return to bed.

Vitamin C may also help boost metabolism because it helps your adrenals and removes oxidative stress - your adrenals need to be healthy for you to have a healthy metabolism as well. We know that Vitamin C can retain immune cell function and its role in immune health but we often think of that as like a seasonal thing right - so many people get focused on immune health in the fall but then miss how they need this core nutrient on the daily for their adrenals and all the many roles those precious glands play in sustaining our health.

If you check out my podcast/blog on how vitamin c protects your health you’ll find how I approach taking it supplementally with some of my favorite sources/options. 

Check out my online dispensary, nutrition & coaching services! Plus my two courses; Remineralize & The HTMA Practitioner Jumpstart.