LGBTQ+ Wellbeing

June is Pride Month and I wanted to weigh in and share some information as well as a few tips for those within the LGBTQ+ community (and those who are allies) on whole person health and wellbeing for the LGBTQ+ community.

According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, ‘Research suggests that LGBT(Q+) individuals face health disparities linked to societal stigma, discrimination, and denial of their civil and human rights. Discrimination against LGBT persons has been associated with high rates of psychiatric disorders,1 substance abuse,2, 3 and suicide’. As allies it is important that we create safe spaces and support for those within the LGBTQ+ community to heal and thrive’. For those who identify as LGBTQ+, learning additional tools to support whole person wellbeing in a way that feels helpful, inclusive and safe is key. Below are a few tips to increasing whole person wellbeing for those within the LGBTQ+ community:

1. Self-Acceptance, Self-Love & Self-Care

Acceptance, unconditional love and care is something that many people within the LGBTQ+ community have unfortunately not been given. Growing and practicing self-acceptance, self-care and self-love is a powerful support to mental, physical, emotional and even spiritual wellbeing. When it comes to making progress in this area it takes intentional actions, it is a process. Self-care, self-acceptance and self-love may look different in different seasons of life. Sometimes finding your way to the next version of yourself after a huge transition is bumpy, it is supposed to be, life is a grand experiment.

Love yourself and practice unconditional acceptance of yourself right where you are. Try hanging a metaphorical ‘under construction’ sign on yourself and give yourself permission to BE IN PROCESS. This stuff takes time. Remember that you are not broken. You do not need to fix yourself or change yourself in order to be worthy of love & acceptance. Your true self is perfect. Be kind to yourself.

2. Mental & Emotional Health Support

Mental and emotional strains on the LGBTQ+ community are real and often significant. Getting a system of helpful and effective support around you (or a loved one experiencing challenges) is so important to overall wellbeing. Don’t wait until you are in crisis, create the support you need and be proactive and increasing wellbeing!

Symptoms of mental and emotional challenges can be as mild as low energy or not feeling like yourself or as severe as loss of interest in activities, problems sleeping, feeling sad or depressed most of the day, changes in appetite, social and emotional distancing (withdraws or hibernating), weight gain, restlessness, anxiety, insomnia, feelings of hopelessness or increased negative self-image and even thoughts of death or suicide.

If you are experiencing one or many of these symptoms your body and emotions are sending you a message… it is time to get support through mental health practitioners trained to diagnose and treat depression as well as practitioners who specialize in changes in diet, mindset, exercise and even other lifestyle changes that either a life coach or wellness coach can help you with.

Get tools to address mental and emotional health and wellbeing by working with a therapist, life coach or mental health practitioner – to schedule a session online with one of the practitioners on the ModiHealth platform visit Modihealth.com

Get Immediate Help Now…
If you or someone you know is in immediate distress or is thinking about hurting themselves, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the toll-free TTY number at 1-800-799-4TTY (4889). You also can text the Crisis Text Line (HELLO to 741741) or go to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website.

3. Creating Safe Community & Chosen Family

Unfortunately for many LGBTQ+ the family and community that they are born into proves to be less than a safe and loving space. This is why iyt is even more important for those within the LGBTQ+ community to build and create their own tribe, their own chosen family and safe community.

Create the time and space to connect with safe and accepting people in order to participate in safe community and chosen family in a true, meaningful positive way. Do this in a way that works for you and helps you feel connected, loved, accepted and included.

4. Honoring Your Boundaries

A yes or a no can have a significant effect on how we create what we experience in life. Often this is approached unintentionally from a place that is not rooted in self-love or honesty with oneself. When we say yes to something, we are aligning ourselves with that. A yes is also an invitation for it to be in your life and in a sense, it is agreeing with it. A person, place, thing or situation such as a request or voiced expectation from a loved one, diagnosis from a doctor or even an invitation to go on a date, gives us the opportunity to be intentional about what we allow and create in our lives.

We have all heard the famous saying ‘be true to thine self’ – however many of us don’t realize the consequences and disconnection from self we experience when we choose to say yes when our truth is a no. Boundaries are helpful in managing this effectively.
Setting healthy boundaries and honoring them in a loving and kind way leads to decreased stress, which in turn supports optimal immune system function. When you are setting and honoring boundaries you are practicing self-care and self-love, not only for your emotional well-being but also for your health.
Keep in mind that setting boundaries is not listing rules for someone else to follow. Boundaries are most healthy and effective when we set them with yourself. For example, if you set a boundary with yourself to not lose your temper and blow up at loved ones, it is up to you and you alone to honor that boundary. Maybe you honor that boundary by noticing when you are approaching the end of your rope and choosing to take a walk and calm down before speaking.

I used to think boundaries were something you told people and were things that expressed what they could and could not do within a relationship with me. This could not be further from the truth, what I just described is ‘being controlling; not ‘setting a boundary’. Boundaries are the perimeters we set for ourselves with ourselves. It’s the agreements we make in order to lovingly take care of ourselves in the world and in relationships with others.

5. Self-Advocating

I wish that we lived in a world where LGBTQ+ were completely accepted, treated equally and did not have to advocate for basic human rights. Unfortunately, we are not there yet and both advocating for yourself and advocating for others is key to achieving progress.

Advocating for yourself is a critical life skill, one that will serve you in all areas; health, relationships, career, etc. Speaking your truth in love and confidence is not only something that will produce results of increased wellbeing, but it is also very impowering. It is ok so say, ‘I hear what you are saying, however, it is not helpful’ or ‘That does not feel true to me’ or ‘Your opinion on my life is unimportant and should not dictate my human rights and equal treatment’ are completely acceptable responses when coming in contact with someone else projecting their beliefs, opinions and unconscious biases at you. Ask for what you need.

6. Safe & Supportive Healthcare

Instead of healing, many healthcare institutions, doctors, hospitals, and medical information have left the LGBTQ+ community misinformed, underserved, and unwell due to inequality and unconscious biases. In order to be healthy today, we MUST all take personal responsibility for our own health and wellness, and the management of ALL its pieces. For those within the LGBTQ+ community finding safe and supportive healthcare providers is incredibly critical. To take ownership of your health means finding the right care team. Interview doctors, mental health practitioners and other wellness practitioners to make sure that they have experience working with LGBTQ+ and will provide excellent care, understanding and support. It is absolutely ok to fire your doctor and seek out treatment from one who honors and respects you.

At ModiHealth ALL practitioners are vetted and hired to provide safe and inclusive care for all people no matter what gender, religion, race or sexual orientation that they are. To find a practitioner to support you virtually visit Modihealth.com

Cited articles:

https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/lesbian-gay-bisexual-and-transgender-health

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/june-is-pride-month-2021-lgbtq-events-parades-and-more/

A Transparent Discussion About Women’s Health & Natural Remedies

I recently sat down (virtually) with the amazing Ali Landry to talk about common issues many women are facing in their health and lives, including the ones that Ali herself faces. We dove deep into natural approaches at both bringing support and healing around those issues. We talked about everything from hormones, stress, sleep and even chronic pain as well as many natural approaches to resolving them. If you missed our video conversation, you can watch the replay of it HERE.

 

Here are a few more general take-aways from our chat…

 

Honoring The Chapter, You Are In

 

We are facing stressors and life challenges that we collectively have never before faced. Every time we turn on the news we are inundated with stressful messages and images. Many of us are facing loss, transitions and increases of stress and anxiety due to the pandemic and state of the world.

 

I have had so many of my patients and also people reach out to me on social media expressing frustration that they don’t seem to either have the energy for the level of self-care that they used to or that they are unable to take effective actions to move their health and wellbeing forward in positive ways. The overall feeling many people have expressed is feeling the need to need to ‘force themselves’ forward.

 

Right now, is a time when we are grieving and processing. During this time, we need to honor where we are, honor the season or chapter that we are in, while also taking balanced actions that feel HELPFUL.

 

Start With Balance

 

Balance leads to wellness and increases our wellbeing. The issue right now is that what was a balanced approach before may no longer be balanced during this time. We must shift our expectations and our plans to honor where we are while also discovering what our new normal will look like, and what balance looks during these times. Start with some self-discovery and most importantly, listening to your own body, heart, emotions and spirit.

 

Where To Begin

 

I often ask my patients, ‘If you could change one thing that would have the biggest positive impact on all of the other challenges you are facing, which thing would that be?’. That is often the answer for the best place to start, otherwise it can become overwhelming and even confusing. This is where working with a good natural, holistic or functional doctor can be hugely beneficial.

 

 

Get To The Root

 

Here is the west we are taught from an early age to treat symptoms versus root causes. Often the solutions include ONLY suppressing the symptoms or things that feel uncomfortable. We reach for a quick fix or a pill. While I definitely think it is important to treat symptoms, I believe that the symptoms we experience in our mind, body and emotions are feedback. If we simply suppress the feedback without ALSO addressing the root issue, we are unable to create (or sustain) positive changes in our health and wellbeing. It is important to listen to the feedback from our body, mind, emotions and even spirit and then work on resolving the root or core issue from the inside-out while also addressing the symptoms from the outside-in.

 

Supplements Are Supplementation

 

Supplements are to support needs that the body has such as daily vitamins and minerals that we are unable to get enough of through our food sources. Supplements that consist of specific herbs, vitamins and minerals that are geared towards naturally treating or supporting health conditions can feel overwhelming for many people. There are so many different ones on the market and you can often feel (based on their descriptions) that you need them ALL. Remember I mentioned starting with one specific focus? I believe it is important to have a balanced approach to your supportive supplements as well instead of overwhelming your system with a ton of different supplements. Focusing on the issue that when resolving it will have the largest positive impact on other issues or areas is key. It is also very beneficial to work with a natural or functional focused healthcare provider to ensure the proper supplements for your health needs.

 

A few of the health issues that Ali and I dove deeper into within our chat were –

 

  • Hormone imbalances, symptoms and solutions
  • Sleep hygiene and its importance as well as ways to achieve better sleep cycles
  • Stress
  • Chronic neck, shoulder and back pain

 

For detailed information, solutions and recommendations please be sure to watch this video as we do discuss much detail about the above issues. Again, you can view the video HERE.

 

Within these conversations I mentioned a few supplements. Below are links to those:

 

  • Stress Master & Sleep Master by Nupeutics Naturals

https://nupeuticshealth.com

 

  • Evening Primrose Oil

https://www.amazon.com/Primrose-Softgels-Cold-Pressed-Artificial-Ingredients/dp/B00NH5AK2S/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=evening+primrose+oil+organic&qid=1594507306&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExUjFYVjUwU0hCNExPJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzQ2ODEwMzBPTkhTOEhXUUhQUSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwOTI3NjQ3MzM5R0pWWEtQS1RFSCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

  • L-Theanine

https://www.amazon.com/Thorne-Research-L-Theanine-Supplement-Relaxation/dp/B0797BLW59/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia-wc-p13n1_0?cv_ct_cx=l-theanine&dchild=1&keywords=l-theanine&pd_rd_i=B0797BLW59&pd_rd_r=ab7f4801-d3d2-4d63-9ad6-dd57d34a6e69&pd_rd_w=pQeCM&pd_rd_wg=CCAzH&pf_rd_p=1da5beeb-8f71-435c-b5c5-3279a6171294&pf_rd_r=1M9JKZQS47QG7ADB6JGK&psc=1&qid=1594507336&sr=1-1-70f7c15d-07d8-466a-b325-4be35d7258cc

 

  • Magnesium Powder (mix with warm water)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BPUY3W0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Coronavirus – 6 Tips to Protecting Yourself

Coronavirus & Immunity – How To Protect Yourself

The Coronavirus… is this a serious virus? Absolutely! Should you be cautious and take precautions to remain safe, definitely! There is a lot of misinformation going around and I want to help you by providing information that is directly from The Center for Disease Control and The World Health Organization to ensure that you have the facts. There are also some effective preventative measures that you can take to additionally protect yourself and your family. 

What we know about the Coronavirus –

  • ‘CDC is responding to an outbreak of respiratory disease caused by a novel (new) coronavirus that was first detected in China and which has now been detected in almost 70 locations internationally, including in the United States. The virus has been named “SARS-CoV-2” and the disease it causes has been named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”). Imported cases of COVID-19 in travelers have been detected in the U.S.’. – The Center for Disease Control (CDC)

How is it spread?

  1. Person-to-person
  2. Contact with infected surfaces or objects

*Read more HERE

What this means is that it is absolutely important to take mindful precautions and also, that those precautions can reduce risks. I will go into this more later and give you the top 6 ways to protect yourself.

How deadly is it???

Though the Coronavirus can lead to death in some cases and it has, the majority of strong, healthy adults are able to fight it off and experience a severe flu at most. Those with compromised or fragile immune systems such as those with another serious illness or disease, those who are elderly and those who are immune compromised are more prone to contracting the virus and well as experiencing more severe symptoms and a higher risk.

‘Both MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV have been known to cause severe illness in people. The complete clinical picture with regard to COVID-19 is not fully understood. Reported illnesses have ranged from mild to severe, including illness resulting in death. While information so far suggests that most COVID-19 illness is mild, study out of China suggests serious illness occurs in 16% of cases. Older people and people with certain underlying health conditions like heart disease, lung disease and diabetes, for example, seem to be at greater risk of serious illness.’ – The CDC

*Read more HERE and HERE

Let’s take a deeper look at how deadly and dangerous this virus is in comparison to other epidemics and infectious viruses and illnesses so that you can get a better sense of the situation as a whole and to what level you or your loved ones may be at risk –

As of early March, the coronavirus outbreak had infected more than 90,000 people and killed more than 3,000 people globally, the majority of whom live in China, where the illness was first detected in December. More than 100 people in the United States have been diagnosed, including at least nine people who have died. By comparison, influenza — known as the common flu — has infected as many as 45 million Americans since October and killed as many as 46,000. Both the coronavirus and influenza are respiratory illnesses. Both have similar symptoms. Both are contagious. Both can be deadly according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

If you want to see more statistics on this issue but delivered in a fun, less stress inducing way, one of my favorite comedic educators, John Oliver shared all about the Coronavirus on last week’s episode. You can watch it HERE

So, What Do We Do?

Now that we have covered details about the virus itself, let’s talk solutions!

Each one of us is able to boost our immune system to its optimal capacity, each person’s optimal capacity is different, but no matter where your immune function lays (low or high) you can support it in being its best and most effective. Having your immune system operating at the most optimal level is an incredibly important aspect of protecting yourself from the Coronavirus in addition to taking other critical preventative measures.

Here are my top 6 tips for protecting yourself against the Coronavirus. I have then provided even more details as to how you can protect yourself from both contracting the Coronavirus as well as better positioning yourself for a positive outcome if you do contract it:

  1. BE SAFE – WASH YOUR HANDS, WEAR A MASK & GLOVES & PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING

Since Coronavirus is spread not only person-to-person but also through surfaces and objects, be sure to both practice social distancing (6-foot rule), wear protective gear such as a mask and gloves as well as wash your hands immediately after touching something. Avoid touching anything else before washing your hands, especially your face or even worse, rubbing your eyes or sticking your finger in your nose.  You must wash your hands WITH SOAP for 20-30 seconds in order to get germs off.

  1. STAY HYDRATED

Our bodies are up to 60% water! Most Americans are operating at low levels of dehydration. When we are dehydrated the body is not able to flush out germs, viruses and bacteria as easily as when it is properly hydrated. This means you should be drinking a minimum of ½ your body weight in ounces of pure filtered water each day (and a maximum of your full body weight in ounces – be sure to take electrolytes if you are drinking your full weight in ounces).

  1. STRENGTHEN YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

This might be the single most important thing you can do to protect yourself! The top immune system drainers are; mental emotional and physical stress, not enough sleep, processed foods, toxins and chemicals, allergens, sugar, caffeine, alcohol, dehydration, overworking and not resting.

Here are a few specific things additional that you can do to increase your immune function in addition to limiting or avoiding the disrupters I mentioned above:

  • Taking Supplements such as L-lysine, Vitamin D, Colostrum, Chaga Mushrooms, Ashwagandha (to decrease impact of stress on the body), Vitamin C, B Vitamins, Zinc, Echinacea, Turmeric (to decrease internal inflammation which can lead to decreased immune function), Oregano Oil and Lavender Oil. You can also take supplements that have many of these ingredients and target immune support and function such as Immunity Master
  • Ginger, garlic and manuka honey all have antibacterial and antiviral properties
  • Avoid antibiotics whenever possible (sometimes they are necessary, but they are often over used. Also, antibiotics cannot help with any virus!!
  • Sleep for 8 hours per night
  • Make sure to schedule a day of rest and recuperation each week! Relax and have fun!
  • Process and release negative emotions. Try finding a safe loving person to talk to or write in a journal
  • Practice mindfulness and meditation, it has been scientifically proven to reduce stress!!
  • Stay hydrated
  • Give yourself permission to do less and also to say no when you need to
  1. AVOID IMMUNE DEPLETING FOODS

You may have heard the saying ‘Food is medicine’, and I agree with this wholeheartedly. I would also add to that that FOOD CAN ALSO BE YOUR ILLNESS. The wrong foods can make you sick and most definitely deplete your immune system. Processed foods filled with chemicals and preservatives, fast food, chemically treated foods, refined sugar, animal products treated with antibiotics and hormones, excess high glycemic index carbohydrates and dairy products put un-necessary pressure on your immune system. Wouldn’t you rather have the little invisible soldiers that make up your immune system battle to conquer viral or bacterial intruders versus to battle to process the junk in your food?

  1. WEAR PROTECTION (MORE ON MASKS & GLOVES)

So many people have been rushing out to buy masks that they are sold out in many locations. The CDC WAS saying the following about wearing masks and respirators in the prevention of Coronavirus:

‘CDC does not recommend the routine use of respirators outside of workplace settings (in the community). Most often, spread of respiratory viruses from person-to-person happens among close contacts (within 6 feet). CDC recommends everyday preventive actions to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, such as avoiding people who are sick, avoiding touching your eyes or nose, and covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue. People who are sick should stay home and not go into crowded public places or visit people in hospitals’.

However, late March they shifted this position and released the following statement:

‘We now know from recent studies that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms.  This means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity—for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing—even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms.  In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.’ To read the full report click HERE

While a mask may not be helpful in large open spaces such as the grocery store or mall if you are staying at least 6-feet away from EVERYONE, however gloves certainly are since any surface you touch may be infected. Yet if you are in close proximity, within 6 feet of others who may be ill, a mask can be helpful as ONE of the ways to protect yourself.  When it comes to protective gear, after reading this, determine what you feel is best for you, for myself and my family’s health I personally will be wearing a mask and gloves if I must go out. However, staying HOME is the best preventative step you can take for your health and the health of others.

We don’t want to hoard masks and limit the amount available to healthcare providers but we do need to be protected. Here is a link to instructions as to how to make your own mask at home – CLICK HERE TO READ

If you are a healthcare professional who may be treating patients infected with the Coronavirus this image shows the recommended protective gear by the CDC –

To read the details of protective gear for healthcare practitioners click HERE

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirator-use-faq.html

In regards to influenza viral transmission they had previously released a guide for effective use which included the following, ‘A surgical mask or fit-tested respirator should be worn by healthcare personnel who are within 6 feet of a suspected or laboratory-confirmed influenza patient’ and further described their use in non-health care settings as, ‘Adults can shed influenza virus 1 day before symptoms appear and up to approximately 5 to 7 days after onset of illness; thus, the selective use of masks (e.g., in proximity to a known symptomatic person) may not effectively limit transmission in the community. Young children, immunocompromised persons of any age, and critically ill patients with influenza can shed influenza viruses in the respiratory tract for prolonged periods. Moreover, because no single intervention can provide complete protection against influenza virus transmission, emphasis should be placed on multiple strategies’. The full guide can be read HERE

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/professionals/infectioncontrol/maskguidance.htm

I am not fearing the virus, but I am taking precautions! That means that anytime you are out and about be mindful and safe, but STAY HOME as much as possible. There are wonderful grocery delivery services through Instacart & Amazon Fresh, also direct delivery from CSA’s or farms such as Farm Fresh To You

  1. RELAX, DON’T STRESS!

Since stress is at the root of over 85% of all illness and disease, you can make yourself HIGHLY susceptible by worrying about this! Stress and anxiety break down the immune system and increases your chances of picking up a virus when exposed to one. So, take a deep breath and try to approach the whole Coronavirus issue from a responsible and preventative way while also being VERY intentional not to get on the negative-thought-hamster wheel of worry and despair – it definitely will not help and in fact, it can hurt.

For those who are highly susceptible to the Coronavirus (elderly, immune compromised or those with other underlying health conditions) limiting exposure means staying home and self-isolating when possible. If you who still have questions or are having a hard time moving past worry, let’s burst a few more myths about the Coronavirus –

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Images provided by The World Health Organization

May you be healthy, and may you take action to create your own health!

In Wellness,

Dr. Rachel

 

Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep: Natural Skin Beauty & Health

Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep: Natural Skin Beauty & Health

By Dr. Rachel Eva Dew, DNM

In this blog I am taking a deeper look (and comparing) skincare products. I know that many of us can easily get swept up into all of the promises of youth and perfect skin that many products out there offer. But guess what?!? Most of those products are completely counterproductive because they have harsh and toxic chemicals which have negative long-term effects on the skin and on your health. The toxins we encounter (and absorb) on our face and skin can disrupt hormones, decrease our immune system, inflame allergies and even cause the skin to age!! Guess what else… there are actually natural options that work much better.

STOP AND PAUSE.

Think about this… many people are spending hundreds, if not thousands of dollars trying to have healthier looking skin while actually making their skin sicker, more worn and weathered AND throwing off their health such as their gut health and skin microbiome.

To be perfectly honest, drinking at least ½ your body weight in ounces of water per day would have a more positive impact on wrinkles than most $250 anti-aging creams, and water is FREE!

Your Skin Is Your Largest Microbiome. What’s Happening on The Outside Is A Reflection of The Inside

Skin problems are feedback and when we suppress feedback without healing the root problem, we can make the root problem even worse! When we have dry skin, increased appearance of aging, sun spots, melasma flair ups, eczema, breakouts or rashes we need to first look inward. Here is the real question we should each ask ourselves, ‘What is out of balance in my body? Then, we need to take steps to resolve and rebalance those.

The first places I look when it comes to skin issues are:

  • Hydration
  • Nutritional choices
  • Toxins (exposure through foods, skincare, beauty, home products and environment)
  • Hormones
  • Stress
  • Gut health
  • Sleep pattern

Healthy Skin from The Inside-Out & The Outside-In

When we address outer skin issues through taking steps towards increasing inside health at the same time as taking steps to support our skin health natural from the outs-side in we create a win-win situation. We get healthier, more youthful and vibrant looking skin while also getting healthier skin. Our skin is our largest organ as well as the body’s largest microbiome. Our skin serves many functions as an organ beyond being the attractive wrapping paper we come packaged in. Here are a few of the things your skin does (when it is healthy):

  • ‘Protection: against pathogens. Langerhans cells in the skin are part of the immune system.
  • Storage: stores lipids (fats) and water.
  • Sensation: nerve endings detect temperature, pressure, vibration, touch, and injury.
  • Control water loss: the skin prevents water from escaping by evaporation.
  • Water resistance: it prevents nutrients from being washed from the skin
  • Thermoregulation: by producing sweat and dilating blood vessels, the skin helps keep the body cool. “Goosebumps” and blood vessel constriction, help us retain heat’.

*Source Link 

5 Tips for Inner Care That Produces Healthier Skin

  • Drink more clean water (filtered & not stored in plastic), it’s the best antiaging and skincare thing you can do!
  • Dry brushing to remove trapped toxins
  • Going organic, clean & green with your skincare, beauty & home products
  • Focusing on creating more gut health (pre & probiotics are a great start) – check out my 3-part blog series on gut health for more tips, you can read the first blog HERE 
  • Try Abhyanga Ayurvedic self-massage for lymphatic drainage & increasing circulation (you can find some great how to videos on Youtube)
  • Remember that food is food for your skin as well! Making healthier nutritional choices will show on the outside as well as the inside.

My Top Natural Skincare Products Ranked

These are not products I am paid to endorse; they are actually what I use on my own skin every single day!

#1 Argan & Emu Oil:

Why this is my favorite: Pure organic Argan Oil mixed with organic pure Emu Oil (at a 50/50 ratio – buy each and then mix together) is all natural, no chemicals, cost effective, doesn’t clog pours and can usually be found in eco-friendly glass containers (this is also better for your health since there are no carcinogens leaching out of the plastic and into your skin care/beauty product). I have not found a better every day moisturizer than this!

#2 Countersun Mineral Sunscreen Mist:

Why I love it – Sun protection is CRITICAL and should be part of everyone’s daily skincare routine!! I always had a hard time getting my daughter to use sticky gooey sun protection. This one is the first non-toxic spray that I have found! Find it HERE

#3 Primal Derma –

Why I love it – A completely pure, natural and toxin free deep moisture support for eczema and extremely dry or chapped skin. Another reason I love it is that this small company is eco-friendly, low waste, animal conscious and packaged in glass. For a really good read on skin health, tallow (aka the magic ingredient) and how they are reducing animal product waste to be more sustainable and reduce their footprint check out their website. Find it HERE

#4 – Yarrow Palm Oil by Doterra –

Why I love it – Yarrow has powerful bioactive compounds and skin-protecting proteins that promote the appearance of firmer, smoother, younger-looking skin. Again, this oil does not clog pours and has a base of Jojoba and Argan oil. I use this on my whole body. Find it HERE

#5 – Araza Coconut Charcoal & Seagreens Treatment Mask –

Why I love it – This is a powerful treatment! My skin always looks completely revived after using it and the best thing is it is a woman owned company and feature not only toxin and chemical free ingredients but is also a paleo certified ingredient-based company. Find it HERE

#6 – Tambra Age Defying Stem Cell Line (Stem Cell Night Cream & Stem Cell Serum) –

Why I love it – Plant stem cells are so incredibly regenerative to the skin and I have not come across another non-toxic and chemical free line that has them within their ingredients along with other powerful anti-aging ingredients. I also love this line because it is woman owned, they are fully transparent about every single ingredient on their website, made in small batch and comes in glass containers! These two products also contain Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) which only the top end beauty and skin care products use. However, if you have a flushing reaction or allergy to Niacinamide be sure to patch test on your arm before applying to your face. Find it HERE

#7 Cellfood Oxygenating Skin Care –

Why I love it – This product is really a face supplement and restores the ph and skin microbiome. It hydrates and also renews. Another reason why I love it is that it is one of the more inexpensive non-toxic skin care products out there. Find it HERE 

#8 Haters Say It’s Photoshopped by Apothekary

Why I love it: Chocked full of antioxidants, adaptogens and collagen, this is a new approach to beauty from the inside out. This powder beauty supplement gets sprinkled into your morning juice or smoothie to help you optimize your butter beauty from the inside-out. Find it HERE

I am a big believer that wellness, natural beauty and optimal health should be more accessible to all! We are getting down a rabbit hole of privilege-only access with $150 yoga mats, spending thousands of dollars on a billion costly supplements and $200 anti-aging wrinkle creams. So, my commitment to you is to always try to offer a wide range of resources and information that is within your reach. This is why I will be including DIY home recipes for those of you who are cost conscious and/or trying to live more sustainable eco-friendly lives.

DIY Home Recipe for Healthy Skin: 

Here are two of the DIY skincare products I use at home –

Avo-Love Moisture Mask

1 whole avocado mashed up, 1 teaspoon of colloidal oatmeal mixed into 1 teaspoon of warm water, 1 teaspoon of raw unrefined coconut oil and 1 egg yolk. Mix well and then apply thick paste onto face. Allow to soak in and dry for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

DIY Age Defying Face & Body Moisture Serum

What you will need:

  • Argan oil (100% pure, unscented organic and if you can find it, in a glass bottle versus plastic) – Argan oil is beneficial to the skin by providing deep moisture without clogging pours. It is literally food for your face with vitamin A, vitamin E, antioxidants, omega-6 fatty acids and linoleic acid.
  • Emu oil (100% pure, unscented organic and if you can find it, in a glass bottle versus plastic) – Emu oil prevents the skin from prematurely aging. It Decrease inflammation, helps with scars, and sun damage. Emu oil is rich in DHEA.
  • Frankincense essential oil (100% pure, organic and if you can find it, in a glass bottle versus plastic) – this powerful essential oil has been known to combat certain types of cancers, including skin cancer. It is used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and skin discoloration. It stimulates the growth of new cells and therefore is beneficial in anti-aging.
  • Myrrh essential oil (100% pure, organic and if you can find it, in a glass bottle versus plastic) – Myrrh has been used for thousands of years for its healing and beautifying properties. It helps fade blemishes on the skin and can reduces symptoms of eczema.

Instructions:

 In a glass bottle mix 3 ounces of Argan oil, 3 ounces of Emu oil, 15 drops of Frankincense and 15 drops of Myrrh oil. Cap the bottle and shake well to thoroughly mix. Then apply a quarter size amount to your face and neck in upwards circular motions. You may also apply liberally to your entire body. Make sure to avoid your eyes and genitals.

Here’s to your skin health!

In Wellness,

Dr. Rachel

 

What The Heck Is Natural Medicine???

Natural Medicine is a distinct system of non-invasive health care and health assessment in which neither surgery nor drugs are used, dependence being placed only on education, counseling, natural medicine modalities and natural substances. This includes, without limitation, the use of foods, food extracts, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, digestive aids, botanical substances, topical natural substances, homeopathic preparations, air, water, heat, cold, sound, light, the physical modalities of natural non-manipulative bodywork and exercise to help stimulate and maintain the individual’s intrinsic self-healing processes.

I am a board certified Doctor of Natural Medicine with a focus on whole person health – that includes the mind, body, heart & spirit. Through natural medicine, lifestyle, mental and emotional healing and other complimentary and alternative approaches, I support patients in achieving whole person wellness, wellbeing and move towards their fullest potential.

Natural medicine approaches include the following –

Nutrition and diet:
Natural Medicine Practitioners understand that nutrition is one of the foundations of health. Adopting a healthy diet is often the first step towards correcting health problems. Many health challenges can be reversed with foods and nutritional supplements than they can by other means, with fewer complications and side effects. Practitioners may use specific individual diets, fasting, and nutritional supplements to support their clients.

Herbal preparations: 
Plants have healing properties known since the age of man and were one of the first forms of medicine. Many pharmaceutical drugs have their origins in plant substances. Plant substances are used for their healing effects and nutritional values.

Homeopathic preparations: 
Homeopathic medicines are very small doses of natural substances that can stimulate the body’s self-healing response without side effects. Some conditions for which conventional medicine has no effective treatments will respond well to homeopathy.
Natural (Nature’s)Medicine Practitioners are not specialists in homeopathic diagnosis but are allowed to dispense combination homeopathic remedies.

Manual techniques:
Natural (Nature’s)Medicine practice includes methods of manual techniques of; soft tissues, joints, and bones, including, but not limited to instruction on exercises, aromatic (body) application, laser therapy, micro-current therapy, acupressure and other non-invasive manual techniques, hydrotherapy, electrotherapies, and ultrasound.

Health Coaching:
Natural (Nature’s) Medicine Practitioners are trained in counseling, nutritional balancing, stress management, hypnotherapy, and biofeedback techniques. They also attend to environmental and lifestyle factors that affect their client’s health.

*As defined by the Board of Natural Medicine Doctors & Practitioners

With my additional certifications my scope of practice also includes mental and emotional health, physical fitness, life and self-development coaching. I draw upon all of my educational background and years of clinical practice and research to provide education, tools and support to those that come along the journey towards wellness with me.

In Wholeness,

Dr. Rachel

 

Developing A Gut Health & Care Ritual

Keep in mind that your gut health and care ritual will look different than someone else’s. What works for your gut health may not work for another person and vice versa. Give yourself permission and space to experiment in order to discover what the right balance looks like for you.

Here are some cute care ritual elements to consider trying out:

  • Stress management, stress reduction and increasing your capacity to deal with life’s stressors
  • Mindfulness
  • Meditation
  • Processing & releasing negative thought patterns and negative emotions
  • Proper hydration!!
  • Balanced intentional eating (and serving sizes)
  • Exercise
  • Gut supporting supplements 

Keep in mind that any self-care practice will not be beneficial unless you practice it with consistency. So be sure to create a balanced game plan that will work for your life and commit to that plan!

Do you love to research? Take a deep dive into the research and sources from this blog and my gut health blog series:

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-system-how-it-works

 

https://med.nyu.edu/medicine/gastro/about-us/Gastroenterology-news-archive/your-gut-feeling-healthier-digestive-system-means-healthier

 

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/leaky-gut-what-is-it-and-what-does-it-mean-for-you-2017092212451

 

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-human-microbiome-project-defines-normal-bacterial-makeup-body

 

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/can-gut-bacteria-improve-your-health

Prebiotics & Probiotics

Is everyone you know on the probiotic band wagon? Here’s why… they are the power houses of gut health & even your wellbeing! You may be confused about what probiotics are and what they do. You may have even heard of probiotics and now find yourself even more confused.

What is the difference between prebiotics and probiotics?

Probiotics are live (good) bacteria

Prebiotics are food that support the good bacteria in your gut, this is like fertilizer for a garden. They serve as food for the probiotics (good bacteria). They are indigestible fibers (by humans) that are fermented (by bacteria) along the GI tract.

Do you need both? Yes! They both work together and support the human body’s production and maintenance of healthy bacteria and microorganisms.

Foods rich in prebiotics

  • Asparagus
  • Bananas
  • Apples
  • Oat Groats (whole), and steel-Cut Oats
  • Dandelion Greens
  • Flaxseed
  • Leeks
  • Garlic

Foods rich in probiotics

  • Sauerkraut
  • Pickles
  • Pickled beets
  • Kombucha
  • Yogurt
  • Acidophilus Milk
  • Kimchi
  • Kefir

May your gut be filled with health and proper amounts of both pre and probiotics!

In Wellness,

Dr. Rachel

Foods That Support Gut Health

Nutrition plays a HUGE role in your gut health and overall wellness of your microbiome. The saying ‘food is medicine’ is true AND good food is great preventative medicine!

Here is a little cheat sheet for good foods (and drinks) for your gut –

  • Probiotics & Prebiotics through foods and supplementation
  • Raw Green Fibrous Veggies
  • Fermented Foods
  • Water, Water & More Water
  • Prebiotics Rich Foods; Bananas, Asparagus and Artichoke
  • Polyphenols Rich Foods; Olive Oil, Berries, Nuts & Green Tea
  • Pineapple – For digestive enzyme properties
  • Peppermint – For digestive properties

Since gut health is dependent on your unique microbiome, be sure to listen to your body when it comes to food choices. Using my Wellness Journal Template can be helpful in tracking what works and does not work for YOUR body. You can download that template within the FREE Cleanse & Create 30-Day Whole Person Wellness & Detox Program. Visit cleanseandcreate.com to enroll!

In Wellness,

Dr. Rachel

Gut Health – Part 1

Understanding Gut Health

by Dr. Rachel Eva Dew, DNM

We have all heard the phrase ‘Trust your gut’. But is following that actually a health practice that is also backed by science? Yes, it sure is!! You may think that your brain has the most nerve endings and receptors, but it doesn’t… your gut does! This means that your gut is responsible for receiving more signals then your brain and is deeply interconnected to the healthy functioning of the entire body, including the brain.

‘According to Dr. Ganjhu, the gut serves as a communication center for the brain, not only to ensure optimal digestion but also other important health functions. “I often refer to the brain as a part of the gastrointestinal system, because the brain and gut are in constant communication,” she said.’ – NYU Division of Gastroenterology Department of Medicine

What does this mean for you and your health? It means that taking intentional steps towards creating the optimal healthy gut is a health and wellbeing game changer!

Let’s dive into WHAT IS YOUR GUT?

Your gut is not just the stomach and intestines as many believe. According to The National Institute of Health ‘The digestive system is made up of the gastrointestinal tract—also called the GI tract or digestive tract—and the liver, pancreas, and gallbladder. The GI tract is a series of hollow organs joined in a long, twisting tube from the mouth to the anus. The hollow organs that make up the GI tract are the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and anus. The liver, pancreas, and gallbladder are the solid organs of the digestive system’. The entire ‘gut’ is a complex and interconnected system.

Your whole gut is actually made up of the following:

  • Mouth & Salivary Glands
  • Esophagus
  • Digestive System – Stomach, Small intestine, Pancreas, liver, gallbladder
  • Colon & Rectum

The Importance of Gut Health –

The health and proper balance of your gut contributes to both health and illness in significant ways. No matter what health issues someone is facing, adding intentionality and effective actions towards increasing gut health will make a positive impact.

Your gut health effects every organ and system in your body, especially the following:

  • Your immune system
  • The balance of neurotransmitters in your brain
  • Your digestion & absorption of nutrients
  • Your Ph levels
  • Your microbiome (more on this below)
  • Brain function
  • Internal inflammation (inflammation is associated and present with all illness & disease)
  • Mental and emotional health
  • Hormones

Begin making healthier choices when it comes to your gut health and stay tuned for Part 2 of this blog series!

In Wellness,

Dr. Rachel

A Dose of Healing… From Nature?

That’s right, nature delivers a power packed shot of medicine! We are wired to spend time moving our bodies, breathing fresh air, being around trees, grass and beautiful landscapes. But so often us modern busy-bees spend time outdoors, away from computer screens WAY less frequently then our health and wellbeing calls for.

Did you know that most Americans have lowered levels of vitamin D which can lead to depression, lack of energy and even a decreased immune system? That’s right we NEED sunshine. We also need nature. Being in nature reduces anxiety, anger, fear, and stress and increases feelings of wellbeing and happiness. All of which increase our immune system function AND support our parasympathetic nervous system.

The parasympathetic nervous system is one of three divisions of the autonomic nervous system. Sometimes called the rest and digest system, the parasympathetic system conserves energy as it slows the heart rate, increases intestinal and gland activity, and increases gut health, digestion, decreases internal inflammation and acidity.

Exposure to the outdoors not only makes you feel better mentally and emotionally, it increases your physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones in addition to the benefits of the parasympathetic nervous system.

Research shows that being in nature can reduce stress significantly, which in turn also positively impacts our bodies wellness through how your nervous, endocrine, and immune systems are working. Furthermore, there is a body of evidence, proving what we all know to be true: nature is good for us and has both long and short term mental and physical health benefits.

Some additional health benefits of being out in nature”

  • Produces feelings of calmness & clarity
  • Boosts energy
  • Positively impacts your vision
  • Sunlight helps reduce pain
  • Stimulates brain function

Being in nature for only 20-30 minutes a day has a hugely positive impact on physical, emotional and mental health and wellbeing. It fights depression and anxiety and improves inner peace.

For all of these reasons, as a Doctor of Natural Medicine I highly recommend that people spend more time outdoors, in nature. Try to make it a daily practice. Incorporate nature into your mindfulness and spiritual practices as well as your health and self-care rituls.

Balance Inside the Bubble: 5 Tips to Transform Your Work-From-Home Experience

Creating whole-person balance for the modern day work-from-homers

Working for yourself from home or even working for a company virtually has many benefits… more freedom, flexibility and of course, working from a more comfortable and casual environment (even in fuzzy slippers!).

But what about the down side? Time management challenges, bleed over from work-life into personal life, isolation and work taking over EVERYTHING!

Here are some simple tips that when applied with consistency will help you THRIVE, not just survive in a balanced bubble.

Tip #1

Create a budget for your time, energy and resources. Proactive and intentional approaches to time management, money management and energy management will pay you back a thousand fold!!

Tip#2

Create work-life balance through setting healthy boundaries around your work life, work schedule and career in general (physically, mentally, emotionally & spiritually). Then it is up to you to honor those boundaries!

Tip #3

Create a separate work space – clock in and clock out. When you exit your work area leave ALL of the work behind. Do not carry it out with you (mentally, emotionally, physically or spiritually).

Tip #4

Do take a ‘lunch break’… take 45 minutes to 1 hour in the middle of the day for a little siesta! Take a walk, meditate, exercise or whatever act of self-care will replenish your mind, body, heart and spirit.

Tip #5

Connection… we all need it! Find other work-from-homers to connect with, bounce ideas off of, get (and give) support and share community with. Consider a monthly meet-up or even an online google hang out over coffee.

Give it a shot! Apply these 5 simple tips to your work-from-home life for 30 days CONSISTENTLY and see how much balance they will bring! May your work-from-home life be fruitful, joyful, impactful… and BALANCED! Enjoy your beautiful bubble!

The Medicinal Bath

Bathing is an ancient practice of self-care. From Thailand to India to Russia to across the expanse of time, culture, history and the entire globe, the art of the bath has been practiced for health benefits. Not only does a good warm bath aid in relaxation and stress reduction, it can also have profound medicinal benefits.

 

Remember that our skin is our largest organ and the largest one we absorb things and expel things through. Drawing yourself a bath with specific herbs, minerals and medicinal natural elements can bring about healing for many ailments and/or facilitate the healing process.

 

Stress being the leading cause of ALL illness, it is the thing that breaks down our immune system the fastest and creates gaps in our wellness or balance. Stress decreases the ability to properly digest and absorb nutrients which can lead to deficiencies and also to weight gain, fight off infection and disease and regulate our systems (mental, emotional, physical and spiritual). So a relaxing bath has the capacity to boost your immune function significantly when practiced regularly. I say ‘practiced’ because for me the art of the bath, especially medicinal baths are a central part of my self-care and wellness practices.

 

Ok, what exactly is a medicinal bath?

 

Medicinal means ‘tending or used to cure disease or relieve pain’ and I am also using it in reference as substances or plants having healing properties. Being that our skin is our largest organ for absorbing and expelling we can draw in many medicinal properties through the medicinal bathing experience… and yes, it is an experience! Just like homeopathic, natural medicine and other holistic or alternative treatments, the medicinal bath has many, many different recipes to support different needs your body and mind may have.

 

I will be sharing more recipes with you over the coming months for specific ailments, so please do reply with some specific requests that may support or benefit your health. I am happy to take requests!!

 

With my medicinal bath recipes, I draw from my many years as an Integrative Wellness & Life Coach, studies of natural medicine, tribal healing, and more recently my pursuit of my PhD in Integrative & Natural Medicine. I use herbs, minerals, vitamins, raw plants and flowers, crystals and stones as well as essential oils.

 

The three favorite more simple and basic medical bath recipes that I have created and used over time are:

  • The Renewal Bath
  • The Detox Bath
  • The Stress Reduction Bath

 

The Renewal Bath

 

¼ cup Arnica oil

5-10 drops Eucalyptus oil

Frankincense oil

10-15 drops Myrrh oil

1 cup Colloidal oatmeal

Fresh rose petals (red or pink are preferred or you may use rose water)

1 Hematite stone

1 capsule of vitamin B complex

4 small Amethyst stones

3-5 drops of cinnamon oil

3-5 drops of Grapefruit oil

1 cup Epsom salts

 

The Detox Bath

 

1.2 cup Bentonite clay

½ cup Red Moroccan clay

2 small Shungite stones (known to reduce EMF’s and other toxins)

4 table spoons of Manuka honey

4 small Amethyst stones

5-10 drops of Bergamot oil

Ginger (you can juice some ginger root, use ginger tea bags or ginger essential oil – use only a small amount)

1 cup Epsom salts

 

The Stress Reduction Bath

 

Magnesium (add about ¼ cup of liquid magnesium)

Lavender oil (10-15 drops)

1 capsule of L-Lysine (to boost the immune system)

4 small Rose Quartz crystals (or one larger one)

2 small Fluorite stone

2 small jade stones

4 small Amethyst stones

Chamomile (you may use either the fresh flowers or 4 chamomile tea bags)

5-10 drops of Bergamot oil

1 cup Epsom salts

 

 

Living A Holistic Life

Living A Holistic Life

By Rachel Eva, C.HT, M.NLP, MTILC

Founder of IWA (Integrative Wellness Academy), Integrative Life Coach & Health Practitioner

 

We hear the word holistic and holism tossed around a lot in integrative wellness and natural medicine. These terms have already flooded the health and wellness markets and made their way into popular culture.

 

But what exactly does this mean?

What is ‘holism’ and how can it be ‘lived’ in everyday life?

 

As the founder of IWA (Integrative Wellness Academy), myself and the IWA team trains and certifies thousands of integrative life coaches each year. As part of how we teach our students to coach their clients we educate them on holism as a core element to help their clients achieve health, success and balance through applying ‘holism’ through the Holistic Life Model, which I will share with you!

 

First, let’s define holistic and holism so you can get some simple clarity. According to dictionary.com, here are the definitions:

 

Holistic –

 

Philosophy – characterized by comprehension of the parts of something as intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole.

Medicine – characterized by the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the physical symptoms of a disease.

 

Holism –

 

The theory that parts of a whole are in intimate interconnection, such that they cannot exist independently of the whole, or cannot be understood without reference to the whole, which is thus regarded as greater than the sum of its parts. Holism is often applied to mental states, language, and ecology.

 

 

What does this mean in more simplistic and applicable terms?

 

Every part of us, our minds (mental), bodies (physical), emotions (emotional) and spirits (spiritual) are interconnected and have an effect on each other, as well as an effect on each of the major areas of life; health, career & finances, family & relationships, spirituality & self-development. Furthermore, each of the major areas of our life have an effect on all aspects or parts of self (the 4 systems); mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. We need to VIEW and CARE care for the whole picture collectively, versus just a few parts in order to live the best life possible.

 

Before I dive in and introduce you to the Holistic Life Model, I need to further share my definitions with you for the four systems or parts of self:

 

Mental –


The Mental System is your thought life, including your self-perception and thought patterns as well as our beliefs and conscious perceptions. This is also the way we view other things out in the world.

 

Emotional –

 

The Emotional System are your feelings and your emotions. It’s also your relationships with other people and also the relationship you have with yourself.

 

Physical =

 

The Physical System is your physical health, as well as the tangible physical things you have in our life.

 

Spiritual –

 

The Spiritual System is our true-self, our personal development, connection to community, world and our connection to a higher power, whatever that definition is or is not for you.

 

The Holistic Life Model

 

The holistic Life Model is living your life, caring for, balancing and bringing health to all aspects of self and all major areas of life, in other words, caring for the whole self with a ‘big picture’ approach.

 

So how exactly can you begin to care for and bring balance to all of these aspects of self? Here are a few steps to begin moving your life towards aligning with and practicing the Holistic Life Model:

 

  1. Set an intention to pay attention to and care for ALL of the systems/aspects of self and all of the major areas of life
  2. Put this intention into daily practice through actions!
  3. Make a ‘to do’ list of actions you can take to bring more wellness, health and balance to each system and to each major area of your life
  4. Schedule it! Put these actions steps into your schedule and stick to them

 

Remember it’s a process, not an event and the goal is to MOVE towards what you want to have, do, be, experience and achieve!

How Your Yes’s & No’s Shape Your Future

The third or fourth word that many people learn to speak is either yes or no. The first words are often mamma, dada and if a person has a dog, then dog is number three, followed by yes and no.

Yes and no are two words in the English language we learn early on and use to exercise our power, express our needs and our preferences.

A yes or a no can have a significant effect on how we create what we experience in life. Often this is approached unintentionally from a place that is not rooted in self-love or honesty with oneself.

When we say yes to something we are aligning ourselves with that. A yes is also an invitation for it to be in your life and in a sense, it is agreeing with it. A person, place, thing or situation such as a request or voiced expectation from a loved one, diagnosis from a doctor or even an invitation to go on a date, gives us the opportunity to be intentional about what we allow and create in our lives.

One of my favorite and self-loving things to say is ‘I’m going to say no to this so that I can say yes to something else’. Another favorite is when I am told what I should do, before I say yes to that or agree with it, I allow myself the time and space to consider what has been shared with me as feedback. Then I determine what, if any, of that feedback will be helpful for me to take and incorporate into my life.

 

Give yourself permission to change your mind. You can try on a yes for size and discover it needs to become a no and vice versa.

When we say yes because we feel like we should, like it is expected of us, but it is not our truthful response, we are essentially stepping out of alignment with our true selves and saying yes to things that conflict with our truth. When we are in conflict, even on an unconscious or subconscious level, it creates chaos, unhappiness and many other problems in our lives.

We have all heard the famous saying ‘be true to thine self’ – however many of us don’t realize the consequences and disconnection from self we experience when we choose to say yes when our truth is a no.

We can still show up for our responsibilities and obligations, however we can do so in ways that do not conflict with our personal values and our authentic truth. Boundaries are helpful in managing this effectively.

In addition to setting healthy boundaries for yourself (not creating rules and controlling others – see my blog on clearing toxic relationships and boundaries) it is also important to ask ourselves the following questions when presented with invitations to make choices and express a yes or a no:

  1. Will saying yes or saying no serve me more?
  2. Will saying yes or saying no lead towards balance and harmony in myself and in my life?
  3. Do I want to say yes or say no? (Be honest with yourself) and then ask yourself ‘Why?’.
  4. Which answer helps me best take care of myself while also showing up for life?
  5. What does my gut say?
  6. What’s the bigger picture? What will saying yes or saying no invite into my life and create, what will it lead away from?

Asking ourselves these questions helps us move beyond any beliefs or perspectives that are limiting us. It helps to step away from expectations that do not serve us (typically self-inflicted expectations) and gain clarity about the bigger picture of what we are creating and moving towards in our lives.

I invite you to let go of that which no longer serves you and to give yourself permission to say yes or to say no. Practicing intentionality towards your yes’s and no’s will empower you to create the life you want and to decrease the stress and negative things impacting your life.

Let all of your answers come from honoring your higher self, your truth. Boldly curate your life with intentional yes’s and intentional no’s.

 

 

 

An Eco Vacation That Will Change Your Life!

Each year I get very excited to lead the Breakthrough Wellness Retreat, An integrative life coaching experience, because each year I hear what a game changer this is for those who attend.

Many times my clients and students experience being stuck, seemingly unable to overcome certain experiences or roadblock. After years of integrative life coaching and teaching through Integrative Wellness Academy I have seen thousands of life changing breakthroughs! During the retreat, I pack together the powerful tools and techniques from over 20 different healing modalities to help people experience powerful and tangible change amidst a backdrop of tropical paradise!

What is a breakthrough wellness retreat?

The Breakthrough Wellness Retreat is a weekend-long, immersion-style, self-development retreat. The retreat applies mine and Integrative Wellness Academy’s (IWA) integrative wellness and life transformation coaching toolkit, which integrates over 20 different healing modalities. This toolkit includes Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), hypnosis, Therapeutic Yoga, life coaching, Emotional Clearing Method (ECM), Thought Pattern Management (TPM), reiki, integrative wellness & life coaching, and powerful forgiveness techniques.

I will guide you through the process of letting go of what no longer serves you, identify what limits you from your highest potential, clarify your goals and purpose, and create an action plan to achieve them! You will walk away from this retreat with a personal strategy for success and fulfillment, both personally and professionally, with a personal action plan and personal business plan that you have created during the retreat. Come rest, renew and completely transform your life!

What is integrative life coaching?

Integrative Life Coach: A coach trained in life coaching fundamentals combined with a diverse range of healing modalities in the areas of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness to make positive changes in all areas of life.

Integrative life coaching integrates numerous healing modalities to equip and empower clients to live balanced and successful lives. Integrative life coaching uses techniques, mind-body tools, and action plans to achieve permanent behavior change. During this retreat, Rachel will help you get from where you are in life to where you want to be. Rachel will coach you towards achieving mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual balance that will benefit your life long after the weekend retreat is over.

What does is mean to bring balance to all four aspects of self; mental, emotional, physical and spiritual?

I use the Holistic life model to coach you towards achieving wellness and balance in each of the four aspects of self and in each major area of life such as career, health, relationships and self-development.

Holistic Life Coaching Model

Mind

  • thought life, mental models, self perception, and mental patterns

Emotions

  • emotions and relationships with self and others

Physical

  • health or tangible things like career or finances

Spirit

  • awareness, self-discovery, connection, and  spirituality

 

What is an Integrative Life Coaching Toolbox?

Using over 20 different healing modalities, I have developed an integrative approach to life coaching that has many powerful tools and techniques to help you achieve lasting positive change.

One of the powerful tools that you will be lead through is emotional clearing.

Experience Emotional Clearing Method and gain freedom…

 

Emotional Clearing Method (ECM)

An innovative emotional healing technique for both the conscious and unconscious mind.

Emotional Clearing Method™ (ECM) is an alternative therapeutic emotional clearing technique developed by Rachel Eva, the founder of IWA. ECM is an advanced integrative life coaching technique that draws on various modalities and theories of neuroscience, mental health, life coaching, and alternative therapies, including neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), hypnosis, hypnotherapy, Mind-Body Medicine, and cognitive behavioral therapy. The foundations of ECM stem from neuroplasticity research and current research on emotions and beliefs effects and interconnection on biology.

ECM was developed after years of research and training with different modalities. It works with your brains neural pathways to release negative psychological patterns and connections to limiting beliefs and negative emotions that block many of us from moving forward in freedom. Recent medical studies have proven that these beliefs and stuck emotions, negative psychological patterns, and genetic markers influence our conscious and unconscious minds. These imprints can stem from our childhood, in utero, and even before we were born through intergenerational epigenetic inheritance.

In its simplest description, ECM combines powerful emotional healing techniques and mind-body medicine with the stimulation of neural pathways to release negative psychological patterns, attachments to negative emotions and limiting beliefs on the conscious and unconscious levels.

 

About me, the retreat leader…

Rachel Eva

Founder & Head Instructor Integrative Wellness Academy, Author, National Speaker & Integrative Life Coach

Rachel is an international speaker, IWA founder and head instructor, author, and Integrative Life Coach. As head instructor for IWA life coaching academy, Rachel teaches thousands of students each year through IWA professional and master level Integrative Life Coach certification programs.

Rachel is a self-development author and leader in the integrative wellness industry. She is a contributing writer of articles covering self-development and integrative wellness for several magazines. Rachel is certified in over 20 healing modalities that support her integrative approach to life coaching, self-development, and integrative wellness.

She is board certified through the Association for Integrative Psychology as a practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), master practitioner of NLP, practitioner of Mental Emotional Release® (MER), Certified Thought Pattern Management (TPM) Practitioner and clinical Hypnotherapist. She was also trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Rachel is a master trainer of Integrative Coaching and certified as a personal trainer and yoga therapist. She has received certifications in ERYT yoga, sports nutrition, and sports therapeutics.

Rachel believes that your past does not define your future and you can be empowered to live the life you desire. Her work is designed to support coaches and clients create the change they seek and the life they want!

In addition to the work and instruction described above, you will also get other wellness amenities that are standard at Playa Viva. This retreat includes:

  • Three nights eco-luxe beachfront accommodations
  • Farm-to-table, mostly organic, healthy meals (recipes personally designed by Rachel Eva and prepared for you by Playa Viva’s top health chef)
  • Daily meditation, yoga, and journal writing
  • Outdoor activities, such as walks and hiking and beach adventures

When? July 7-10, 2017

Pricing:

The cost of this breakthrough experience is priceless and dramatically less expensive than years of therapy or ongoing life coaching! Walk away with tangible positive changes.

Double occupancy: $2450

Single occupancy: $3050

Price is per person and includes retreat tuition, accommodations, all meals, non-alcoholic beverages, taxes, and roundtrip airport ground transfers (fly into Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo – ZIH). Additional charges will apply for bar drinks, smoothies, massage/spa services, gratuities and optional donation to sea turtle sanctuary. Airfare is additional and must be booked separately.

To enroll

To make a reservation, please do so directly through Integrative Wellness Academy.

If you have any questions, please call +1-818-358-3131, or email rachel@iwacoaching.com

 

 

How to Break Up with Stress

First let’s identify and understand stress and stressors a bit so that you will have a deeper understanding about where it may be creeping into your life.

First, stress has been proven to lead to physical illness, mental illness, injury, obesity and disease. In fact, stress is considering the leading cause of these! Even if you have a genetic pre-disposition towards an illness or disease, stress activates that gene. It essentially flips the light switch from the off position to the on position within our DNA. The numbers are staggering, research has shown that between 94-98% off ALL illness and disease is caused (related to?) by stress!

Stress is not just emotional. It can be mental (happening in our thought life), emotional, physical and environmental. Toxins we encounter causes stress to the immune system and our entire body functions.

So why not just remove stress from our lives? Well, in order to do this, we would have to live in a bubble and that would be stressful too! It is not the goal to completely remove all stress but to reduce stress while INCREASING OUR CAPACITY to deal with or handle stress.

Another important aspect of becoming empowered to breaking up with stress you need to consider is…

Where may I be adding to, or creating stress, in my life?

What do I gain from doing this, what do I get out of it?

Sometimes we create stress and chaos in our lives, or at the very least feed it, in order to avoid dealing with or acknowledging something we are not yet ready to face, resolve or change. It’s like creating a big loud clanking distraction that makes it almost impossible to hear or notice anything else. In order to truly break up with stress we must take ownership and accountability for the part we play in it.

So here are some simple steps to reducing stress and increasing your capacity to handle life’s stressors:

  1. Reduce Stress

Emotional Stress Reduction

First and foremost, recognizing and honoring our emotions is a critical part of emotional stress reduction. We need to both be aware of our feelings, then process and release those emotions in a healthy and balanced way versus suppressing, avoiding or ignoring them. Secondly, we need to take ownership of our emotional life. If we are experiencing negative emotions blaming others will not help. We must each find healthy ways to experience and express our emotions. No one else can make you FEEL any emotion without your permission and YOUR participation.

Reducing emotional stress is best done through aligning yourself with your values. When our job, relationships and all other aspects of our lives are aligned with our values and our true self (versus all the beliefs and thoughts of what SHOULD be) emotional stress will be significantly decreased.

Also learning healthy boundaries and how to say NO to the things that add un-necessary emotional stress to your life will set you free from an overabundance of emotional stress.

Physical Stress Reduction

Physical stress comes when we do not properly care for our bodies and our physical environment, as well as when we are exposed to toxins through the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. Obviously trying to control this by completely removing all physical stressors would create an even bigger imbalance, and more stress. Try to find ways that you can limit physical stressors. Balancing and responsibly managing finances, life tasks and even cleaning (decluttering and organizing greatly reduce physical stressors).

Another way to reduce physical stressors is by making a commitment to yourself to get enough sleep, water and healthy balanced meals in your system each day. You can reduce the toxins you ingest by drinking more filtered water, packing foods in glass versus plastic, eating foods that are fresh, made by you and include fruits, veggies, lean proteins and healthy fats and avoiding eating pre-prepared foods.

Mental Stress Reduction

Whenever I mention ‘mental’ health or ‘mental’ stress people often think I am referring to intelligence or expanding the mind. When I am speaking of mental stress, this is referring to your thought life. The thought life are the types of thoughts you think, especially the recurring ones. Are they negative, filled with fear, optimistic, pessimistic, balanced, loving or reactionary? You are in control of your mind and the thoughts that you think. I am not recommending avoiding negative thoughts, instead invite yourself to avoid getting into a relationship with negative thoughts and negative thought cycles. In order to have a relationship with someone or something you must invest time and attention to them. So don’t invest in your negative thoughts and allow them to go on and on and around and around repeatedly. Also learn how to let things go. Obsessing is not problem solving and only causes you to suffer.

Environmental Stress Reduction

Similar to some elements that I mentioned under ‘physical stress reduction’, environmental stressors can also be toxins. These can be in the air you breathe or the materials within the four walls where you live or work. Again, we cannot healthfully completely control our environment but we can choose to reduce environmental stress by intentionally increasing time in less stressful environments. Less traffic, less pollution, less toxic materials. Intentionally investing time in environments that ‘feel better’ will automatically begin reducing your exposure to environmental stress. We must learn to listen to what environments ‘feel’ good or better.

The two simplest ways to reduce your environmental stress are to increase time in nature, amongst its beauty, out in the cleaner air and to clean up the environment you are most in. Cleaning up your environment means participating in reducing your own foot print because we all are co-creating this toxicity we experience. It also means being intentional about your home and work space where ever you are able to do so in a balanced manner. Keeping your space clean, removing toxins, filtering your air, purifying your space and purchasing environmentally safe items such as non-toxic clothing and furniture will do more for reducing your environmental stress then you may ever imagine!

  1. Increase Capacity to Deal with Stress

 It is unrealistic and also not healthy to try to avoid everything stressful. This simply weakens our ability to cope with life. Just because something may feel difficult or ‘bad’ does not mean that it IS bad for you. Overcoming and dealing with life’s stressors not only strengthen our character and increase our capacity to cope with stress but it also builds our character. It helps us grow and expand into the type of person who can feel inner peace and have clarity and calmness of thought even amidst difficult challenges.

When increasing our capacity for stress, the metaphor I like to use most is; imagine that you are carrying around a glass of water that is half full. Every time you encounter stress it’s like adding another ounce of water in your glass. Now, if you don’t take frequent sips to empty the glass, eventually those little one ounce stressors will make your glass so full that the next one-ounce stressor will cause an overflow, a mess, that will pour out everywhere. If we are continually intentionally emptying the stress we are not thrown off balance when we encounter a new stress.

Here are some ways to increase your capacity to deal with stress and proactively manage the stress you already have:

Self-Care 

Self-care gives you the energy you need to handle stress. It should be approached as a non-negotiable, non-optional practice in your life. If you are too busy or overloaded for self-care I recommend that you schedule it into your daily life with the same priority you would a work meeting, family obligation or doctor’s appointment! Self-care can be anything that you find helpful, enjoyable or recharging. Here are some self-care ideas I shared in one of my recent blogs, The Self-Care Home Spa Experience

Healthy Boundaries

Healthy boundaries that are rooted in love are a game changer for the way you experience and enjoy your life, career and relationships. Boundaries are not rules you demand from others. That is called control, not a boundary. A boundary is something you personally set and you personally respect and abide by in order to honor yourself, your needs, your values and those of the people you love. You are the only person in any relationship that can honor your boundaries. It is up to you to do so and if you do not, you are not a victim of someone else, don’t place blame on them if you did not respect your own boundary.

Most of us never learned about healthy boundaries, I know I didn’t. A great resource for beginning or expanding your personal understanding and relationship to boundaries is the book ‘Boundaries’ by Townson & Cloud.

Let That Shit Go!

Why hold on to old resentments? They are only poisoning you! No one is perfect and everyone is doing the very best they can with the information and resources they have at the time. Would you be angry at a deaf person for not hearing you speak? No, of course not. Why do we get angry and hurt when people are unable to give or do something they are not capable of? This doesn’t mean we continue in toxic relationships and it doesn’t mean that it’s okay for someone to treat you poorly. Refer back to boundaries, take responsibility for how you react and respond to others behaviors that offend or harm you. You can honor yourself, remain safe and have healthy boundaries while also no longer feeling the venom of anger and resentment in your life. A wonderful and free resource for this is found on Byron Katie’s website called The Work. Spending 10 minutes completing the free downloadable form changed my life and my perspective on the most difficult relationships in my life – www.thework.com

Put On Your Big Kid Undies and Deal with It

Stop making everything such a big F-ing deal, seriously! It’s up to you what you take offense to. I choose not to take very much personally. If you are a person who is reactionary, you are simply a bomb waiting to go off…this makes you a victim of every circumstance and completely robs you of your power! It is only when I do choose to make it all about me and take offense to something that I experience stress and pain. When a situation or circumstance is less than your desired outcome or when someone says or does something you wished would have been different, more, less or better make a conscious choice to put on your big kid undies and deal with it from a peaceful, tolerant and loving place.

Practicing Preference Versus Attachment

I am very intentional about my life, my goals, my plans and the thoughts and actions I participate in. I have a specific goal or desired outcome AND I also allow for my goals and desires to show up looking a bit different. I practice preference versus attachment. My happiness and success is not contingent on things being one way, my way or what I perceive to be the right way. In that same vein I do not have unrealistic demands or expectations on how other people in this world behave, show up in the world or what beliefs their lives reflect. I honor others and experience much peace within this world of diverse beliefs and behaviors simply because my beliefs, perspectives and values are things I have a preference for versus an attachment to.

When we are attached to something it is narrow, rigid and reflects a ‘this is the only way’ attitude. This limits us versus offers expansion, growth and the potential for greater success. Practicing the art and science of living a life guided by preference versus attachment is something that takes intentional daily practice in order to master! When you practice continually you will build your ability to do this the way you strengthen a muscle by repetitive exercise. As you weave this art into the framework of your life you will see stress melt away like a glassier exposed to 100-degree weather. You will also experience a dramatic shift in your capacity to handle stressful people, places, things and situations.

Breathing Exercises & Meditation

Both breathing exercises (deep, relaxed intentionally focused breathing) as well as meditation (any and every form) has been scientifically proven, by countless respected institutions to significantly reduce stress and increase our capacity to cope with stress. Developing a meditation or intentional breathing practice should be a custom creation by you and you alone. Try on a few, experiment and then practice the ones that work best for you as consistently as you are able. Developing a 2 minute a day practice will still have a positive impact on your stress levels. If you are new to these concepts or even just interested on my perspective on this, check out a recent blog I wrote on Demystifying Meditation

Copyright Dr. Rachel Dew 2019-2021. All Rights Reserved