I'm Burned Out - Now What?

"I'm tired and anxious all the time."

"I can't lose weight no matter what I do."

"I get one cold after another."

"I can't get my mind to shut off and I know I'm not getting enough sleep."

"What's with the dark circles, sagging skin and muscle aches?

"Why am I craving sugar?"

TV ads are filled with recommendations for weight loss, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, mood swings, depression, digestive disturbances, high blood pressure, PMS, muscle aches and pains and more. These are all symptoms. Treating each individual problem may miss the root cause. Often, the problem stems from adrenal fatigue.

Many of us live fast-paced lives. More often than not, you are supporting this lifestyle with sugar, caffeine and adrenaline. And then you wonder why you are so tired and burned out. Life becomes a roller coaster ride and you're not sure what to do to balance yourself physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

The following are some books and suggestions for finding solutions to feeling burned out.

1. I highly recommend the book, Are You Tired and Wired? by Michele Pick, MSN, OB/GYN NP and co-founder of Women to Women (see #2). She outlines solutions to adrenal dysfunction including dietary suggestions, supplements, lifestyle changes, emotional work and more.


2. Women to Women - www.womentowomen.com - a website and medical clinic focused on "changing women's health - naturally"


3. Rhodiola rosea is an herbal supplement that works on the cellular level to balance the relationship between stress and energy. I don't start my day without it. To understand more about the supplement, I highly recommend the book, The Rhodiola Revolution by Richard P. Brown, MD and Patricia L. Gerbard, MD.


4. Macrocarpa is an Australian Bush Flower essence that supports and recharges the adrenal glands. It also helps to reinforce the need for rest as well as giving extra energy.


5. Take time for yourself each day even if it is only 5 minutes. Stop what you are doing, look around, bring yourself into the present moment, do "nothing" and enjoy a few minutes of peace and calm.


6. When you are feeling overwhelmed and a little crazy, try this simple energy exercise called Sedating Triple Warmer: Place your fingers of one hand on the opposite temple and trace around your ears and down your shoulder and release or shake off the energy. Repeat on the other side. Repeat several times on both sides.


7. If you have never experienced acupuncture, this might be a good time to find a practitioner. Chinese medicine is the oldest health care system still used today. The goal is to unblock and free acupuncture points so that the body's life force energy is restored.


8. As a kinesiologist, I can't overlook the biofeeedback tool of muscle testing. The only source of information about you is YOU. Your body wisdom directs a kinesiology session and the best path for healing.

Burn out is your body's way of telling you that something has to change. Whether the change is physical, mental, emotional, and/or spiritual is for you to decide. Get help, take charge of your health and live a more energized life!

If you need help determining where to start, contact me through my website: www.optionstohealth.com

How Can I Care for Myself When I'm Caring for Others?

Caring for others, whether it be a child or children, elderly parents, an ailing friend or all of the above can be exhausting. Physical energy is required to get through the day but it is often the emotional stress that takes its toll. So often the caregiver gets lost in the shuffle and forgets what flight attendants have told us for years:

"Put your oxygen mask on first before assisting your child."

Having experienced the physical and emotional exhaustion of caring for elderly parents, I appreciate the struggle that comes with wanting to do everything possible for them and knowing that you are not taking care of your own health and well being.

The question to ask yourself each day is: "What can I do for myself that will help keep me balanced, rejuvenated and healthy?"

When care giving seems to take up your time and energy 24/7, you must be realistic with what you can do for yourself. It may be the small things that give you the most support. The following are just a few suggestions that may ease the feeling of overwhelm.


1. BREATHE. Square breathing can help relieve the anxiety that is often felt throughout the day: 1) Breathe in to a count of 4. 2) Hold for a count of 4. 3) Breathe out for a count of 4. 4) Hold for a count of 4. Repeat.

2. Stay hydrated. Keep a water bottle with you at all times. Water will keep you electrical, focused and may prevent stress eating. Adding a pinch of Himalayan salt to your water will increase your body's ability to stay hydrated. Get more information at www.mercola.com

3. The Australian Bush Flower Essence, Alpine Mint Bush helps with the mental and emotional exhaustion and the weight of responsibility felt by care givers. It doesn't take away the job. It helps revitalize and renew your energy.

4. The Bach Flower Essence, Rescue Remedy can be added to your water bottle and give you emotional support throughout the day.

5. Create a support system. You need a respite. This could be a friend or family member, a babysitter, a Home Health Aid, a support group, Elder Services, Visiting Nurses, etc.

6. A simple energetic exercise can help you feel more focused and less overwhelmed:

On a piece of paper, draw a large Infinity Symbol (a figure 8 on its side) with your right hand. When the tracing is smooth, repeat the tracing with the pen in your left hand. When that is smooth, repeat the tracing holding the pen in both hands.

7. When the emotions of the situation feel out of control, take a moment to regroup with Frontal/Occipital Holding:

Place one hand on the back of your head and the other hand on your forehead. Breathe slowly and use this time to visualize yourself calm, healthy and balanced. When you feel pulsing under the hand on your forehead or you take a deep, cleansing breath, you are done.

8. Animals are natural stress relievers. Just petting a cat or dog reduces blood pressure, minimizes anxiety and brings us back into the moment. If a pet isn't available, find pet videos on You Tube or Facebook. Animals, especially cute ones, can usually get us to smile and forget for a moment that we are overwhelmed.

There are many ways of putting your oxygen mask on first. Spend some time brainstorming the techniques that work for you. Be realistic, be willing to ask for help and give yourself permission to take care of you!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7477319

It Don't Mean a Thing if Ain't Got That Bling!

Don't you just love sparkle, bling, fancy things, beautiful textiles and textures, high quality products and anything made with love and distinction? And do you make a point to use, wear, display and enjoy these possessions?

A client asked me today who would buy the high end jewelry that I make. She said that she only wears jewelry when she gets dressed up. Really? I found that sad and yet common. I admit that I love anything that sparkles and I can promise you that at any store that I go into, I will walk over to the most expensive item without knowing beforehand what the price is. And yet, I keep the good crystal glasses that I got as a wedding gift 36 years ago in the hutch and only bring them out for "special" occasions.

So let's spend a moment thinking about the Law of Allowing. How much do you allow yourself to dream, to set lofty goals, to write a bucket list, to use the fine china, to wear the expensive bracelet that you drooled over and finally bought, to create a business based on your passion and not what everyone wants you to do, to have only friends who love and support you, to be the true you, to say what you mean, to live an authentic life?

Whew! Those are significant and challenging questions. If you allowed yourself to be fulfilled internally and externally, how would your life be? What would change? What blocks or thought patterns would you need to release in order to fully accept abundance?

I offer a self-care energy exercise to start the process of allowing into your life:

1. Start with your feel together.

2. Hold your hands closely around your ears.

3. Formulate a positive statement and say it aloud.

For example: "I allow myself to receive today."

"I allow clear communication in my relationships.""I allow myself to attract a job that fulfills me."

4. Spread feet apart in a wide stance.

5. Switch your energy on by placing one hand on your navel, while the other massages under the collar bone (clavicle); then massages above and below the lips; massages the tailbone. Change hands and repeat.

6. Place one hand on your forehead and the other on the back of your head. Hold this position while you:

Rotate your eyes clockwise, 4 times, then counter-clockwise 4 times. Do this first with your eyes open and then with your eyes closed.

7. Massage both ears thoroughly for approximately one minute. Massage every nook and cranny.

8. Bring your feet together. Your self-care treatment is done.

Think about all of the people, experiences, activities, dreams and abundance that you want to allow into your life. Add some sparkle and bling. It doesn't have to be with jewelry. It can just be something that adds light to your day. If you want some bling, though, check out my flickr page: 

 

www.flickr.com/photos/gingerbeaddesigns 

Five Must Have Books for Understanding the Body, Mind, Spirit Connection

Bookstore shelves are filled with books related to the body, mind and spirit connection. They all have something to offer and each one presents a unique perspective based on research, personal experience and the latest understandings of health and energy. I do not have any connection with the authors of the books I am recommending. I simply like what they have to say, enjoy their writing style and find the information useful for myself and my clients.

For the past 24 years, I have specialized in holistic health and kinesiology or muscle testing. I study daily and love to pass on all of the valuable information to those who are searching for answers.

Louise L. Hay's, Heal Your Life, is my first must have book recommendation. You may even have a version or two of this book. I still have my original, tattered 1982 copy. Many revisions have been written since the 80's, but the information remains invaluable. I believe awareness is 99% of the solution to a problem. Opening Louise Hay's book to a given physical symptom and reading the corresponding probable cause and the affirmation or new thought process is a first step in the healing process. It is an immediate awareness and look in the mirror.

Along the same lines as Heal Your Life, is an insightful book, The Secret Language of Your Body by Inna Segal. I recommend this book to my clients to use as a guide to self-healing. Ms. Segal looks at the underlying mental, emotional and spiritual causes of physical symptoms and offers energetic exercises, color techniques and a multitude of thought-producing insights.

Clients always ask me what the best book is for understanding kinesiology and energy exercises. I immediately suggest Donna Eden's book, Energy Medicine and Energy Medicine for Women. ( www.innersource.net ) Because we both had the honor of studying with the late Gordon Stokes, much of what is offered in Donna Eden's book relates closely to the work that I do as a holistic health practitioner. She has created an easy to understand guide to eastern medicine based on her abilities as a medical intuitive, energy research and years of experience. Her books are invaluable self-help tools and offer a resource for a wide range of symptoms. The descriptions of the exercises are written clearly, the time needed to do the energy correction is listed and her drawings of the meridians and chakras are precise.

For women who want to understand their physical bodies as it relates to the mental, emotional and spiritual levels, Dr. Christian Northrup's book, Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom, is a must have. She takes her knowledge of the physiology of the body and combines it with her appreciation and understanding of mind-body wellness. In person, Dr. Northrup is entertaining, inspiring and dynamic. If you have the opportunity, watch lectures that she has done for public broadcasting. You will want to watch them over and over just as you will read and reread her books.

The list would not be complete without Anatomy of the Spirit, The Seven Stages of Power and Healing by Carolyn Myss, Ph.D.. She takes you through the seven chakras, linking them to the emotional and spiritual stress and the physical symptoms and illnesses associated with each of these energy centers. Many people have to put the book down at the chapter on the second chakra because there is so much information to assimilate at that point. Dr. Myss gets you to confront many truths and you might even find yourself talking aloud to her as if she were right there!

There are more books than can be counted on the subject of the body, mind, spirit connection. I believe that these five books are important enough to suggest that everyone have them available as a resource. Each one is instrumental in getting you to think about your body from a new perspective. As with all information, take what fits for you right now and put the rest aside.

For support getting to the root cause of any physical, mental, emotional or spiritual block or concern, consider a kinesiology appointment. To learn more, go to my website: www.optionstohealth.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6692555

Renew and Retreat at Home

We have all had a time when we wanted to pack our bags, leave our cares behind and retreat to a far away place where no one can find us. A retreat conjures up images of self-discovery, stress-free living, revitalizing opportunities and a chance to have distance from every day demands. And what if we could create this experience at home? What if we could give ourselves permission to take a deep breath and replenish our energy without having to go anywhere? What would that look like?

Every year in the fall, I have the opportunity to go away to a Women's Retreat at a YMCA boy's camp on a lake in New Hampshire. There are anywhere from 20 to 40 women who attend. We are able to put on our sweats, let our hair down and renew our energy through yoga, dance, craft classes, workshops, fabulous food, great conversations and the pleasure of doing nothing if that is what the spirit needs. Each year I ask the question:

"What do you want to take away from these 4 days?"

For some women, the answer to the question has to do with being out in nature and experiencing the elements: earth, water, air and fire. Nature is all around us every day, all day. Giving ourselves PERMISSION to walk in the leaves, go to a park, sit at the beach, stare up at the sky, bring some flowers home, light a candle or breathe is the first step. It doesn't take much time to go outside and just be in the moment and take in the day.

Some of us simply need to connect with friends and share a good meal, a few laughs or tears or hugs. The sense of community can feel like a retreat from the norm.

This year at the retreat, water was the element that spoke to many of us. We had the great joy of experiencing exercise in the lake with an Aquasize instructor. Our bodies felt the warmth from moving all of our muscles without the jarring impact that we often force ourselves to do at the gym. Water is the element that relates to our emotions.Sometimes the release of tears and a good cry can feel restorative. If a pool isn't available to us, giving ourselves PERMISSION to wash away the stress of the day with a shower or bath can prepare us for a rejuvenating sleep and a better day tomorrow.

Music is another theme of retreat. Have you ever seen a sullen face on anyone doing Zumba? Probably not. Music is infectious. The beat, the rhythm and the movement gets our endorphins flowing and the cares of the day seem to float away. Can't get to an exercise class - put on some music at home and dance with abandon.

More and more people are experiencing the benefit of a natural approach to relaxation and renewal with flower essences. These are wonderful gifts from nature that help us to strengthen our electrical system when it is out of balance. I would like to suggest the Australian Bush Flower Essence, Alpine Mint Bush. This essence is for caregivers who are mentally and emotionally exhausted with the job of caring for others. It's not meant to take away the job responsibility and role. Instead, the flower essence revitalizes our energy and helps to bring joy back.

Retreating and renewing is personal. What feels like an escape to me may not be the same image that you have. Brainstorm with a friend and determine what would realistically work for you. Give yourself permission to be the best you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7313594

Keep it Simple, Silly!

SIMPLE - Something Impossible Made Possible with Less Effort.

How many of us are still in the toddler stage when it comes to accomplishing things? A toddler, rather than walking around a chair in the middle of the room, will climb on it, fall off of it, climb on it again, cry when the chair falls over, climb on the chair again after an adult has picked it up and finally make it over the chair!

There is an easy way to do things and a hard way. Which would you rather choose? Judging by the fact that the profits from the $4.98 Staples Easy Button benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs by up to $1 million a year, I would say that we are looking for simple and easy.

Lofty ideas, challenges, desires or something that you hope to accomplish can feel impossible to achieve. So many of us get stuck with step number 1. Where do I start? What do I do?

Ideas, options, alternatives, intuitive "hits" come from our right brain hemisphere. It's where we do our big picture thinking, brainstorming and creating. To put those ideas into action, we have to switch over to the left brain hemisphere. That is where our logical thinking and manifesting energy lies.
To take your wonderful ideas and make them happen, give the following exercises a try.

Simple Exercise #1:
With pen in hand, block off your LEFT NOSTRIL and breathe only through your RIGHT nostril. This accesses the left brain hemisphere and allows the process of logical thinking to begin. Get ready to write out the ideas or steps that come to you.

Simple Exercise #2
Shift your attention to your RIGHT EYE only. This will also activate left brain thinking.

Simple Exercise #3
To release mental congestion, clear the cobwebs and feel more focused, experiment with the Crown Pull:

1. Place your thumbs on your temples (on the side of your head) and rest your fingertips just above your eyebrows.2. Slowly, with pressure, pull your fingers apart and stretch the skin above your eyebrows.
3. Repeat at your forehead, stretching the skin.
4. Repeat at the hairline.
5. Continue this process along the top of your head, all the way to the back.
6. Repeat as many times as you like. Enjoy the feeling and reap the benefits.

Simple Exercise #4
When your thoughts keep going round and round and your head is filled with mental chatter and you can't seem to get a thought on paper, give the Bach Flower Essence White Chestnut a try. Most health food stores carry the 39 Bach Flower essences. Four drops of the flower essence in water or under your tongue several times a day will allow you to come up with ideas from a calm, centered mind.

Simple Exercise #5
Get a Staples EASY BUTTON. I do not work for Staples. I simply found that having the button on my desk and hearing the voice say, "That was easy", is a constant reminder to walk around the chair instead of tripping over it. Sometimes we simply have to change our perspective.

Simple Exercise #6
Ask yourself, "Is there an easier way?" "Could I use some help?" "Is there someone who I could brainstorm with?" "Do I need to walk away and come back later?"
As one of the cards from the Creative Whack Pack says, "What would Walt Disney do?" Hmm.

If you would like help determining the steps needed to reach a goal or support keeping life simple, contact me through my website: http://www.optionstohealth.com

Finding Your Heartsong

If you haven't seen the movie Happy Feet, I highly recommend renting it. Besides having toe tapping music and unforgettable characters, the animated movie's story is inspirational. Every Emperor Penguin has his or her unique heartsong which they use to find their soul mate. The main character, Mumble, can't sing to save his life but he has the gift of tap dancing. His unique ability is not appreciated by the majority and he goes off to find a place to express himself.

This story line ties into the theme that continues to repeat with a majority of my friends, family and clients ~ self-expression and finding one's heartsong. Women, especially those in their 40's, 50's and 60's, desperately want to live their lives from a place of passion, truth and authenticity. It is often the time when the children have grown up and left home for college or to pursue lives of their own. The question from these women is, "so, what do I do now?"

To find an answer to the question often means removing the mental, emotional and spiritual blocks that are limiting forward movement. A gentle approach to releasing obstacles is with the use of flower essences. These are wonderful gifts from nature that help us to heal and strengthen our electrical energy system when it is out of balance on any level - physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. Flower essences give us a greater awareness and ability to resolve the stressors in our life while giving us an opportunity for self-healing.

The following are a few flower essences from Australia that offer support in finding one's heartsong:

Creative Essence (once called Heartsong):

This flower essence combination inspires creativity and emotional expression, opens the heart and literally corrects blocks in the TMJ area, allowing one to open the mouth wide. This is a wonderful flower essence for providing courage and clarity in singing, public speaking or any area of self-expression.

Meditation Essence:

Taking this flower essence combination allows one to go deeper into any spiritual practice while enhancing access to one's Higher Self.

Dynamis Essence:

This flower essence combination helps create abundant energy, vitality, enthusiasm and joy for life.

Give yourself permission to go to a place where you feel free to explore and find your heartsong. It could be a park, the beach, a forest, a library, the bathtub, a coffee shop. Ask yourself,

• What makes me come alive?
• Who or what fascinates me?
• What did I do as a child that I would like to do again?
• What have I always dreamed about?
• How would I like to express myself? Is it through writing, dancing, singing, painting, teaching, speaking, traveling, learning... ?

Go for it! Find you heartsong and let the world see the true you!