Healthy Is the New Sexy

So you’re a “wellness warrior,” but for some reason you are still not always practicing what you preach with self-care, and everything you’ve been “meaning to get back into for a while now” still keeps getting put on the back burner.

What gives?

I am not here today to mother you. Lordy … I don’t want that job. But I am here to take a stand for what I know is possible when you commit to having the life you always dreamed of. And guess what sister … to attain that, your self-care has GOT to be numero uno!

Darn it … the vicious circle of a catch-22

The great thing about you already being pretty health savvy is that it won’t take much for you to get back up in the saddle. All you probably need is to pull yourself up by the bootstraps and do some tweaking here and there to get back on track.

Keep it simple sister, just like you tell everyone else to do.

Remind yourself that living a holistic lifestyle is a natural, fun, explorative, individualized-to-you kind of approach. And it is a choice. Bring yourself back to those day-to-day habits that you already know support you in a way that feels really good. Is it incorporating natural foods that tempt your taste buds? Finding a rockin’ new song that makes you wanna pull out your rebounder and jump your little heart out? All the while you are taking into consideration that these habits are sustainable for that life you are deliberately designing.

Plus … you already know that healthy is super sexy.

You have been there before and understand from personal experience that when you are glowing on the inside you are naturally radiant on the outside. It is like you are shooting off pheromones as you walk into a room and all heads turn. You love being comfortable in your own skin. You dig how the fabric of that sexy little camisole feels on your bod. And that is most certainly the healthy you with a bit more swing in your hips… you bet I saw that, mamma (wink wink).

I get that life can be overwhelming sometimes and your health seems to take the back burner. So, I’m gonna knock out seven easy steps that will help you get it back on track.

Seven Easy Steps to Get Your Health Sexified:

1. Take Off the Blinders: First things first and that means you need to get really honest about where your health is today. No more sweeping little secrets under the rug. If you are not proud of any habits you are doing today, meaning you wouldn’t feel comfy doing them in front of another person, then it is time to transition out of that habit.

2. Tune In to You: Yep, you got it. You were born intuitively knowing health and, through this whole crazy thing called life, you may have gotten a bit confused. That’s cool … no worries. Heavens child, certainly don’t sweat it. But now let’s start reconnecting with you, so you can remember what feeling naturally good really feels like.

3. Create Your Daily Rituals: Design a.m. and p.m. rituals that nurture you. Do you feel great when you meditate every morning, dry brush, then have a cup of your fav herbal tea? In the evening, do you turn off your cell and spend time in a nice bubble bath with candles? Create healthy rituals that you miss when you don’t do them.

4. Love a Farmer: In today’s society there sure is an abundance of dead food available at all times. I know that sounds weird and maybe you haven’t thought of it that way, but let’s do so now. How much life is really in Doritos? I don’t know, but I am thinking not much. Start going to the farmers markets and fill your fridge with organic produce, becoming a really good friend to all those little cells taking residence in your body.

5. Bottoms Up!: Drinking plenty of water is one of the cheapest, easiest and nicest gifts that you can give your body. As I am sure you know, you can live days without food, but water … well that is something that you must have no matter what. Sexy your water up with a slice of citrus or make it feel special by drinking it from your favorite wine glass. Bottom line is you do need to get about eight glasses down the chute a day.

6. Know What Floats Your Boat: OK, I am going to debunk some pretty major myths that are floating around our universe about exercise. You do not need to exercise two hours a day or eliminate an entire food group from your diet to maintain your weight. Not the general public at least. What you do need to do is create a lifestyle that is sustainable and enjoyable for you … oh yeah, and you really should move your bod at least 30 minutes a day. No groaning! I am not talking about 30 minutes of hard-core spinning, unless that’s what floats your boat. I am talking at least 30 minutes of an activity that you really enjoy, whether that is brisk walking, hip-hop dancing or surfing. Just do it.

7. Sleep Like You Mean It: I mean… reaaaallly mean it! Not a measly two hours here or four hours there. Your body, mind and spirit all deserve a full night’s rest, all the time. Sleep is the time when your body is able to fully rejuvenate. You know that p.m. ritual we talked about earlier? Well including a decent bedtime is a part of that.

You getting the picture, mamma? Getting/being/staying healthy can be enjoyable if you let it be. So much of it is your attitude and the approach that you choose to take. Developing a lifestyle that is healthy and has your inner you grinning from ear-to-ear is at your fingertips.

Kerry Tepedino is an internationally trained holistic health practitioner and creator of You-Defining-You Coaching, as well as the Healthology Method, a holistic approach to total wellness.

Photo credit: Werner Moser

Widening the Circle: Being a Wellness Ambassador

You have a passion for all things healthy, green, raw, vegan – some or all of the above – and more! You’ve learned and are learning so much about green smoothies, dry body-brushing and kale crackers, it can start to make you feel a tad insane when people just. Don’t. Get. It.

After all, it’s for their own good. You want soaring health and energy for them, and hey, it would be nice to be surrounded by more like-minded people, too. After all, switching from wine to wheatgrass, from brie to beet greens, can feel lonely. If you could convince your tribe to join you on your quest for crazy sexy health and happiness – more fun would be had by all! It would make your healthy choices easier to maintain; plus the people you love would feel better, look better, and play better. Sizzling good!

Looks like it’s time to become a skilled wellness warrior. Here are eight ways to lovingly seduce others into learning more about all you know … no matter the topic:

1. Lose the guilt

Ban “should” from your vocab. Yeah, that withering look needs to go, too, babe. While you’re at it, lose the scary facts. Facts don’t inspire your people to try chia seeds or filter their water. Facts don’t inspire change – love and stories do. Share the good news in a way that’s enticing, instead of guilt-producing, and watch the green smoothies blend.

Need help mining your experience for stories? Ask yourself:

• What do I love most about my healthy love-style? Tell that story.
• What are the easiest changes I made that really helped? Yum!
• What’s my most riveting example of the benefits to me? Any variation of the illness-to-health story excites people. Stories told in first person as if they were happening are especially persuasive.

2. Pile on the love

You know what we’re all starving for? Unconditional love. As a teacher and coach (official or uonfficial, that’s what you are) the more you can communicate, “I love you, and I don’t judge you for eating a deep-fried candy bar followed by butter covered bacon,” the more open people will be to your knowledge. Surrender the self-righteousness and judgment. Over and over. Consider it your spiritual practice.

3. Don’t care too much

Wait, didn’t I just say, “Share the love?” Yes. Now I will add: Do so within clear boundaries. Desire change for your students and friends. Radiate excitement for them from the grounded truth of what works for you, while letting go of the outcome. If you care too much about what happens, you risk exhausting yourself and getting too entangled with other people’s lives. You don’t want your best friend to feel she has to sneak a hamburger lest she risk losing you as a friend.

4. Leave them wanting more

New teachers feel that if they don’t tell their students everything, something terrible will happen. Check this out: Your human brain can take in only about eight minutes of new information before you need to do something with the info – trying it out for yourself, telling somebody, teaching it yourself. Overloading people with facts or information doesn’t serve. Offering a tasty tidbit or three, then giving them time to put the info into motion, will help them own the knowledge.

5. Show more than tell

Have your family make a raw dinner with you (resist the temptation to do it all for them or to do it “right”), take a friend to the farmer’s market with you, or bring your sister cosmetics-shopping at Whole Foods. Letting them experience the changes themselves makes it real to them.

Is yours a distant tribe? YouTube and Ustream are your friends. Put on your cooking show virtually! Video yourself shopping.

6. Don’t try to look perfect or be an expert.

Think you have to be a 100-percent raw, sugar-free vegan and do two hours of yoga every day before you can share what you know? Or that you need an advanced degree in alternative therapies?

Nope. And no. And please no. In fact, sometimes the more “pure” or pedigreed you are, the less your tribe can relate to you. Instead of seeing you as someone to model themselves after, they put you on pedestal and can’t imagine how they would ever get up there with you. Share your slip-ups – past and present – and be sure to share what you’ve learned from those missteps. That is the most valuable knowledge you have.

7. Be a beginner

Remember when you first learned what was in lipstick? When you first learned how to make tofu that actually tasted like something? When you learned which supplements were important, and could even pronounce some of them? Go back to that beginner’s mind, and teach from there. Steer clear of jargon. Don’t assume your peeps know what has now become second nature to you. Meet them where they are, and teach from there.

8. Remember that you are needed

I believe education is one of the best ways to save our world. Without a doubt, the things you know about health must be shared because they will play a direct role in saving lives and the earth.

You have a mission. You are part of something huge. It may be lonely and frustrating sometimes, and you may even wish you didn’t know all that you know. When that happens, give yourself a big hug and remember: you are a wellness warrior, and what you are doing matters.

Now get out there, and spread the love!

For more information on how to awaken the teacher in you, visit http://theteacherspath.com/.

Don’t Settle for Being Well. Be Vital!

I’m so honored to be here with my new girl crush BFF Kris Carr on the main stage with all you Wellness Warriors to share with you why I believe you can be your own doctor. Because you can, you know …

But first let me tell you why I went to school for 12 years to become a doctor – and then quit.

I could write a novel about that. But to make a long story fit into a blog post, I’ll say that I left medicine for many reasons, but the biggest reason is because I’m so sick and tired of trying to squish myself into a broken, narrow-minded health care system. I’m pissed at doctors, and I’m even more pissed at managed care insurance companies, malpractice lawyers, and the pharmaceutical industry.

And yet, at the same time, medicine is my greatest love, and I feel called to try to change it.

So I’ve been in the midst of a bit of an identity crisis lately – at least until just recently, when I suddenly had a massive breakthrough. I was out hiking by the ocean, where I do my best thinking, when two visions came to me.

I hate being crammed into the Doctor Box. And no wonder. Boxes feel small and limiting. When you finally take the leap of faith and learn you can fly freely, the last thing you want is to be pushed back into the cage. But I’ve recently realized that my tendency to resist the box is also inhibiting my growth.

The world wants me to be a doctor. Even though I quit practicing medicine, I’m a kick-ass doctor and there’s nobody out there quite like me. I suspect the world wants me to be a doctor because I am leading the way. As my friend and bestselling author Dr. Christiane Northrup said in the foreword to my book, “She’s a women’s health visionary, and it takes one to know one.”

And yet, still, I resist the title. And I hate getting shoved into the “health” category. What’s wrong with being labeled by the MD title I slaved away to earn? And what’s my beef with being categorized in such a worthy category as “health”?

I don’t like being lumped in with other small-thinking doctors, and I don’t agree with the way most others define “health” (excluding Kris Carr and the other bloggers in this awesome posse!). The “health” box is too small, narrow and body focused and not expansive enough to contain everything I believe contributes to whole health and true vitality.

You can’t be wholly healthy without expressing yourself creatively, connecting spiritually, engaging in loving relationships, doing work you love, getting it on sexually, dealing with your money issues, giving back to the world and serving your life purpose, in addition to nurturing your body. It’s just not enough to focus solely on the body, as I was taught in medical school.

Beyond Wellness

Even the wellness advocates who approach health with more of a mind/body/spirit philosophy miss the boat because it’s not enough to be merely “well.” Sure, if you’re sick, “well” sounds hot and sexy, but don’t you want more? Don’t you want to be vital? And if you’re not sick, don’t you want to stay that way – and thrive?

People wind up at the doctor’s office because they feel like something is off. The doctor runs a battery of tests, does a physical exam, finds no abnormalities and pronounces the patient “well.” But wellness isn’t enough. I want people to feel juiced up, filled with mojo and skyrocketing to the stratosphere in all aspects of their life.

Nobody ever taught me how to help people achieve this kind of whole health in medical school, but I’ve been reading voraciously, studying with healers, taking workshops and trying to fill in all the gaps in my knowledge so I can help teach you how to feel more vital in your life.

The Cairn as a Model for Expanding the Definition of Health

When I think of whole health, I think of a cairn, one of those man-made stacks of balanced rocks you tend to see on beaches. The bottom rock in the cairn, the one that supports all the others, would be your Inner Pilot Light, that always-radiant, never-extinguished, 100 percent authentic essence within you that supports everything else in your life. Balanced upon that one stone would come all the other facets of what makes you whole: your creativity, spirituality, sexuality, physical health, relationships, career and why you’re here on earth.

Unlike the traditional, linear, hierarchical pyramids we’re all taught in health class, the cairn is an interdependent structure. With the exception of the foundation stone, no single stone is more important than the others. If you pull out any one stone by neglecting one facet of your being, the whole beautiful sculpture crumbles. When the cairn crumbles and you lose balance, you wind up sick.

Healing vs. Curing

I realized recently that I find myself apologizing to people on behalf of doctors, and I don’t necessarily want to be lumped into the same box as them because most doctors aren’t practicing the kind of medicine I believe genuinely heals. People rarely used the term “healing” where I trained. A healing wound or a healing fracture – maybe. But a healing person? Nah. That’s New Age.

I believe there’s a difference between healing and curing, so I’m not suggesting that people skip traditional medical treatments. But what if you can be both healed and cured? This is where the magic happens.

Medical school taught me how to cure people, and I’m exceedingly grateful for this education. But I didn’t go to medical school just to learn how to prescribe drugs and cut out body parts. I was age 7 when I was called to be a healer, and I believe medicine is a spiritual practice. It’s not our job to “fix” people. It’s our job to empower people to heal themselves.

Be Your Own Doctor

I’m working on my next book now and the working title is “Be Your Own Doctor.” But it’s not what you think. I’m not suggesting you do your own Pap smear, dose up your own chemo or take out your own gallbladder. I’m also not trying to diss doctors! I’ve spent decades worshipping at the altars of modern medicine, and what we can do is nothing short of miraculous.

You must accept responsibility for your part of the healing process. You must be an active participant who’s kicking it in all aspects of your life, not just by eating a Crazy Sexy diet, but by tapping into all those other aspects of your whole health, as Kris teaches.

What do you think about all this, Sunshine? Do you believe you can heal yourself? Are you on board to nurture all the aspects of your whole health? Have you had any bad experiences (or great ones) with the health care system? I can’t wait to hear what you think!

How Meditation Benefits Your Fitness Plan

by Stuart Watkins

Before reading this, give yourself a few breaths of stillness. Close your eyes, connect with yourself and just breathe. Feel immense gratitude for who you are, for what is flowing in your life and for exactly where you are. Just observe how healing, inspiring and refreshing it is to be still, to breathe mindfully and to be grateful. In this stillness lies an abundance of wisdom, creativity, healing, truth and inspiration.

I’m going to talk about the importance of bringing this mindfulness, this stillness, into your health and fitness plan. It’s pretty common that around the break of the New Year, people get this burst of enthusiasm to create a healthier lifestyle. I see it nearly every year with so many people. A strict new diet plan, a set workout regimen. Then, as the weeks tick by, either one’s interest slowly fades, they get burnt out or other priorities in life take over. This is a massive generalization, but I’m sure lots of people can relate.

Our approach to fitness should be sustainable and, most of all, joyful and healing. It’s all perspective, right? I find waking up on a Sunday morning, practicing yoga at the beach, having a surf or a swim and then having a raw juice really joyful, uplifting and fun, whereas to a lot of people, that’s a terrible Sunday morning. Observe how your mind reacts to the idea of healthy food and being healthily active. Observe your reaction, and if it’s negative, practice bringing a healthier, more loving response to it. It may take lots of discipline at first, but over time it will become a part of your being, as it is a natural essence of us human beings.

So many people resent exercising and resent eating healthy. Come back to stillness and your true self. Every time you interrupt those patterns you know aren’t good for you, and consciously make the choice to do something that is good for you, self-sabotaging addictions  slowly fade. Our body wants to be exercised and it wants fresh, organic foods. That’s how it was built. Treat it well and feel the amazingness of life resonate through every molecule of your being.

In our society, there is so much emphasis on physical appearance, physical fitness and how much we do and achieve. If we’re not present and grateful in life, all of these “achievements” and “perfections” will never be good enough. The ego always wants more. So if you’re on a health and fitness endeavor or just trying to achieve goals in general, enjoy the journey, be present and resonate from your heart, instead of just looking toward the goal stuck in ego mind. On this beautiful journey, let yourself be still each and every day. Before and after your workouts, allow yourself to be still. Before and after work, have a moment of stillness. Even if you can only manage stillness for a few mindful breaths, practice having the loving discipline to allow yourself to be still, without watching TV, surfing the Internet, reading or fidgeting.

Now, this suggestion won’t be liked by our ego or thinking mind, so practice softening that and realize that when you allow yourself to truly rest and be still, you give your mind a chance to be refreshed, and you allow wisdom, creativity, strength and inspiration to flow through you. On a superficial level, it is when you’re resting that your muscles build tone, strength and flexibility, not while you’re exercising. It is when you rest when all the healing, opening and strengthening takes place. So have the discipline to work out with mindfulness and then enjoy these moments of rest and stillness for everything to soak into your system.

Notice, when we’re anxious about something, our breath gets shallow. When we’re filled with joy and love, we soak up big, rich breaths. It’s a natural reaction. Tune into this during your day and observe how your breath is flowing. Do this without being paranoid; simply, compassionately observe. See how much more authenticity, presence, loving resonance and joy shines through your day when you’re in tune with your breath and presence. Not only that, but your immune system will be stronger, your mental state will be fresher and the body just runs so much smoother. It’s a truly beautiful thing!

With this presence, daily tasks will seem easier and possibly even fun. You will recover better from exercise and be able to keep healthy exercise as a part of your life forever. You’ll bring more enthusiasm and productivity to living an amazing life. You’ll notice more loving energy in your relationships.

So many answers lie within stillness. So much love lies within stillness. Our essential true self lies within stillness. Feel the amazing gifts of the universe flow through you, just from simply being still and allowing.

Stuart Watkins is a holistic fitness and lifestyle coach based out of Australia. Stuart’s love for travel and new knowledge has taken him all around the world, while achieving certifications as a Holistic Fitness Practitioner, Holistic Life Coach, Yoga Teacher, Personal Trainer, Massage Therapist and Stress Management Specialist. He draws on his knowledge in these areas to ensure each of his clients journey to true health and happiness is in good hands.

Photo credit: San Diego Shooter

Kris Carr’s 21- Day Crazy Sexy Cleanse

What insane person would choose to do a 21-day cleanse in the first weeks of December with nothing but parties and festivities ahead? Me! On November 13, 2010, I declared myself a mess physically, mentally and spiritually. No spark, no twinkle, no joy and a muffin top that turned into a layered cake from under my bra line to my knees. With dismal blood results (nonexistent immune system) and a desire to have someone brutally honest and highly qualified coach me back to my sparkly self, I called on Kris Carr, wellness warrior extraordinaire (I have followed her since 2008). I wanted Kris Carr for my private coach, but she was unavailable.

I found that she had just written a new book, “Crazy Sexy Diet.” I ordered it, devoured it in two days, filled it with Post-it notes, highlighter marks and scribbled messages to myself. At the end of the book she brilliantly outlines a 21-day cleanse. It was as though I had just spent weeks being privately coached by her and now here was the perfect plan for me. I felt her amazing support behind me with the 21-day guide she beautifully wrote out for each of the 21 days. Holidays or not, I had to rekindle the fire in my life and this was it.

Answers, Answers and More Answers

Juicers: In 2 pages she saved me hours of research for any and all questions about the differences in juicers. My 10-year-old Champion was great!

Supplements: No need to invest a fortune in supplements. She outlines all the key ones and where to buy them online. No need to buy them all!

Vices: Why animal products, dairy, caffeine, soda, alcohol and sugar keep you from ultimate health. With great humor and razor sharp accuracy she explains how these vices are harmful to your sexy self. The experts that contribute to her book are the all-stars of health and wellness.

Other questions: Everything about digestion, colon hydrotherapy, wheat grass, saunas, neti pots and you name it. Her logic and clarity gave me the confidence to sign up for a series of 3 colonics. Holy moly! The experience blew my mind and clearly showed me how my colon was filled with toxins that were challenging my immune system.

20 Questions Over 21 Days

She suggests making a journal with pages of her 20 questions. I did, and it created a beautiful journal of my experience. Each question was key to my success not just for the cleanse but for habits I needed to insure were in my life on a regular basis.

Question 11: “Did you laugh?” By day 5 I was giggling!

Question 6: “Did you dry brush today?” I quickly became addicted to this relaxing yet invigorating ritual.

Question 1: “Did you abstain from coffee?” This is my crack! My greatest fear going into this adventure was no coffee. I was a gold card carrying Queen of Starbucks! I am shocked that now I am a Grand Princess of Green Drinks! The power in a shot of wheat grass is incredible! (Though I do have to hold my breath when I drink it.)

The 21-Day Cleanse

Kris lovingly writes out a guide for each day of the cleanse. She offers prayers, affirmations, tips and gentle encouragement for exercise, meditations, meals and more. I found these pages to be of great guidance as well as comfort to me through some tough moments. The mediation portion of the cleanse was invaluable to me. Her affirmations and prayers assisted me in creating the space and grace for this much ignored portion of my health.

On day 18, she asks you do a vision board. Trust me, as you go through the cleanse your mind wakes up and the aspirations, creativity and sparks are flying, so these exercises are perfectly timed.

Fasting

The seventh day of each week is a juice fast. This has now become a beautiful ritual in my life that I have continued but was extremely difficult at first. Juice fasting not only allows your digestive system to relax, but it also gets lots of things to bubble up emotionally and physically. Her words of guidance and support during a Power Storming session were key to my success in this portion of the cleanse.

Recipes

Yummy, easy and plentiful! Her recipe section has something for everyone. Her Make Juice, Not War Green Juice is power in a glass. I watched the video of Kris’ cutie husband, Brian, and got some great tips on juicing. Her website is amazing for recipes, tips and wellness info.

Her juice and smoothie recipes are delicious. The Green Guru smoothie is great if you are in a hurry or do not have a juicer.

I only used three to four recipes so not to overwhelm myself: tofu eggless salad, Buddha bowl (I always have on hand now), Mexican pilaf, Kristen Suzanne’s harvest soup and lots of avocado cumin dressing (her dressing section is amazing!).

You do not need a food dehydrator, bamboo mat or hijiki (I have no idea what this is) to be successful in her cleanse, though noted in some recipes.

I am “twinkling” again!

The Crazy Sexy Diet has been a life cleanse for me, not just a diet. Near the end of the cleanse, my dear friend came over to my house. Without knowing what I had been up to, he said “Wow! You are twinkling!” And I was!

I got my joy, twinkle, spark and giggle back. I also lost my muffin top and layered cake. I put a great amount of time in preparation for the cleanse (12 days prior), but it was worth every minute of planning to experience such rewards. I was a lackluster mess on day 1, but 21 days later I “twinkled” almost as much as our Christmas tree. The best news is that the results of my post-cleanse blood work were “outstanding!”

In November, my oncologist said “Mia, you just have to accept your new ‘normal’ low white blood count,” due to chemotherapy. That pissed me off! I bet her that with diet and a better way of dealing with my stress (meditation), I could change those numbers. Thanks to Kris Carr and the Crazy Sexy Diet 21-Day Cleanse, I won that bet! The prize is having regained confidence in my health, body and post-chemo brain. Do you want to “twinkle”?

Mia Pate Ogletree, mother of 2 small children had a thriving personal training and an online clean-diet coaching business prior to being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. After rebuilding her home life, health and fitness, she is now returning to building her business and teaching others.

Photo credit: floridecires