Let's be honest, this world is a rat race.  It's designed for us to value worldly success over love, morals and ethics.  Just look at the diet and beauty industries that spend billions in marketing each year telling you how you shouldn't look and what you need to look better, so you can feel better.  The things we learn in childhood teach us about expectations, belonging, and how we are 'supposed' to fit into this world.  I see it in my life, my friends and family, and in what my kids are being taught at school and in their social circles.  So we begin making up stories about ourselves and talking to ourselves about who we 'are.'  But the truth is, you wouldn't talk to your friends the way you talk to yourself.  I don't have what it takes, I am so stupid sometimes, I'll never get there. Much of what goes on in our lives is all about the stories...the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves and the expectations we set for ourselves that we cannot possibly fulfill.

At some point, though, whether it be now or on your death bed, you will realize that your value does not and has never come from this world or outside your body.  It's always been inside.  What makes you you?  What drives you?  From where do you get your motivation and strength?

You must tap into your source of positive emotion. We are not designed to do life focusing on the outside circumstances.  The little self (ego/brain) wants to rule your life, but will never provide fulfillment.  The big self (soul/spirit within) is patiently waiting for you to tap into the peace you have within. The more you open up to the sense of internal abundance, you are going to see it in the outside world.

The truth is, we have the power to change our well-being.  Having a mindset of self-love, compassion and service drives changes in our biology that make a huge difference in our  health. So, START WITH ONE, one thing you will add into your life that will impact you for the better: vow to talk nice to yourself, volunteer somewhere each week, practice meditation 10 minutes a day, pick up a lost past-time you loved like drawing or dancing. Make a commitment to yourself and your family that you will bring your best self forward each day.  But it's not going to be found in a bottle or a back account, it's going to be found in your heart.

Take the time to listen to this podcast for a deep dive into this topic...you won't regret it:​ 
https://shows.pippa.io/the-doctors-farmacy/episodes/is-self-love-medicine-with-dr-andrea-pennington

An integrative doctor–whether a primary-care physician, an ob-gyn, or an oncologist–enlists Western approaches when appropriate and then complements them with other treatments.
The health of Americans is steadily declining despite the amount of money spent on health care, high-technology medicine, and educational efforts. Hypertension, Diabetes, auto-immune disease and obesity rates continue to sky-rocket among adults and children.
Unless we wake up and take responsibility for our own health, the pattern will continue. An integrative health coach will listen to you and guide you in making choices that will improve your health.
Here are the top 7 reasons you need an integrative health coach now:
1. Many people don’t follow through with their New Year’s Resolution to lose weight or get healthy.
80% of people who make New Year’s resolutions break them. When you break your 2017 resolution, don’t wait for January 1, 2018 to follow through on what you need to do for your health. Make a resolution every day when you wake up to improve your health. A physician who focuses on prevention will show you how to make small changes that will build up to a lifetime of good health.
2. You don’t understand why you have gained the weight.
Over the years the extra few pounds have stayed on you, but you are eating better. There are many dietary changes that you need, but you don’t know where to start. An integrative health coach will help you identify the easiest changes to make today that will make the biggest impact on your health. An integrative physician can also factor in the impact that insulin, cortisol, and other hormones are having on your health.
3. You have cravings that you don’t know how to handle so you end up eating.
You figure that you don’t have any control over the cravings so you just give in, every time, year after year. An integrative health coach will help you identify the cause of the cravings and enable you to beat your cravings or binge eating using a combination of natural and/or prescription methods.
4. You have cancer, diabetes, or heart disease in your family, and want to a plan to prevent them.
We can use genetic information and family history to develop a plan to reduce, delay, or eliminate your chance of getting a chronic illness. In the long run, it saves you money…. and stress.
5. You want to lose your sugar addiction, cigarette craving, or curb your appetite for alcohol.
What do smoking, eating disorders, and texting all have in common? They often result from stress and anxiety. These behaviors often develop as ways to modify a person’s “fight or flight” response to stress triggers. Stressed by work? Fighting or fleeing may not be options—but calming your nerves with a cigarette or drink is. We explore the triggers and possible herbal and prescription medications that may be of benefit.
6. You are confused about whether meat, protein, carbs, dairy, produce, or GMO foods are healthy.
A new diet book is written every day. How can you tell what is healthy for you?  There are various ways to evaluate your “inflammatory foods”. An integrative health coach will help you determine what foods are healthy for YOU and what will work for YOU.
7. Nothing has worked before, so you continue to gain weight or have chronic health issues.
Chances are you have given up because nothing you have tried before worked. If you have gained weight, or if you are suffering from chronic health issues that are blood sugar-related, high cholesterol, blood pressure, inflammation or arthritis, or other health issues, you may be able to improve your health with herbs, vitamins, or nutrition. A health coach can help you wade through the mountains of research to figure out what works for you and your health.
Do something for yourself today and talk to an integrative health coach! Your life and health could improve, and you could feel better!

​https://www.woodlandsradiancespa.com/seven-signs-need-integrative-health-coach/

Read full article here for free:  https://www.patreon.com/posts/25501356

​First off, you are not a diet, you are a person.  Diet hopping is not healthy or sustainable for your body.  If you are considering "labeling" yourself as a diet, choose a mix of a few of your favorites.  When people ask me, I like to call myself paleo-vegetarian.  "It real food, not too much, mostly plants." -Michael Pollan.  
The bottom line
Be sure to do your research before starting a ketogenic diet, and ask a licensed naturopath before beginning any diet that eliminates entire food groups.  Eliminating healthy, whole food should raise a red flag.
I am not against keto, I actually do it on occasion.  It's just not something I believe is sustainable or healthy long term.  It’s also important to remember that just because one diet works for someone, doesn’t mean it will naturally be the right one for you.
Always keep a journal of what you eat and how you feel for a week when making any dietary changes.  Your body will tell you when something is off...listen to it!

Night sweats?  Can't sleep?  As we age, our hormones are ever-changing.  Luckily, there's a solution for that. 

Full Article Here

Description:
​4-Week Series begins on Thursday, Feb 7 at 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm and continues four weeks; Thursday's in Feb (7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th). Only one ticket is required for entire series. Located at InWave Restaurant & Juice Bar - 10310 Shelbyville Rd.

Info:
Teens are faced with new cultural challenges like:

• Depression and teen suicides
• Social media and bullying
• Vaping and the drug epidemic

The staggering health statistics among teens are proof that we have to give them alternatives for this chapter of their lives. They often have:

• Too little sleep yet not enough movement
• Too much fear, stress and anxiety
• Not enough nutrients to keep them functioning

It’s up to us to show them there is a better way! Join us in this hands-on and how-to series to learn:

• Easy and tasty snacks that fuel the brain and body
• The issue with fad diets and weight gain
• Chemicals in our food and how they affect you
• Everyday healthy hacks that give them confidence and stability

REGISTER HERE
Sibling tickets can be purchased at a reduced cost of $40; Scholarships considered. Please email me with your request at teresa@louisvillenutritionandhealth.com. Class max of 15, please reserve your spot asap.

Ditch the coffee for your mid-morning or afternoon pick-me-up. These are easy to keep around the office (or in the car) and provide sustainable energy...that won't send you crashing in an hour. I am not affiliated with either brand, just love how they make me feel. #energy #lifestylemedicine #organicfood #sharethelove

We all have to eat and drink every day, might as well make them work for you!

What is your favorite go-to food or drink addiction?  No wrong answers here, if it's coffee or Snickers, your body is asking for something there.  Let's talk about it!  

1. Gut health.  Probiotic pills won’t get the limelight, fresh foods that can balance the microbiome will. More individuals will seek their probiotics from fermented food and drink such as yogurt, sauerkraut, and kombucha tea.  And since high-fiber foods act as prebiotics fueling probiotic growth, there are now more reasons to consume fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
2. Plant proteins.  Environmental and ethical concerns will cause more people to eat less animal proteins or switch to plant-centered diets.  We will see more plant-based options such as bean pastas and soy, tofu, or quinoa burgers falling into the market.  Recent food trends have increased the consumption of avocado, kale, and quinoa… all wonderful nutrient-dense foods that should not be given up. This year, dandelion greens, rainbow carrots, beets, and amaranth are the new popular kids on the block.
3. Intermittent fasting.  The hot diet trend for 2019 may not have to do with adding or restricting a certain food, it may be not eating altogether — well at least temporarily.  It doesn’t require restriction of any specific foods, so it will not hinder your ability to eat away from home.  It is simply eating while the sun is out and not when it is not.  Sounds easy enough, right?
4. Keto diet.  This eating plan was in the spotlight in 2018 and that will continue in 2019.  Studies continue to go back and forth about the benefits and disadvantages of trying the keto diet.  I, personally don’t like any ONE diet, period.  But if I were to label myself, I’d say I am a keto-paleo-vegetarian.  Bottom line, eat less fluff and more nutrient dense brain-foods like colorful veggies, healthy fats and grass fed meats (if that’s your thing).
5. Hemp has arrived. Cannabis and cannabidiol are expected to be a growing trend, in particular when it comes to hemp.  Hemp can be used to make several food products, such as hemp seeds and hemp seed oil.  Users say they like the substance’s anti-inflammatory effects. Hemp and CBD will continue to infiltrate products as its researched benefits continue to release.
6. Bring in the bitters!  Bitter foods such as asparagus, cucumbers, grapefruit, and cacao will be more popular in diets in the coming year. Bitters help detox your GI tract and love your liver. Bitter foods clean toxic, sluggish bile, which aids digestion and gets your thyroid back on track to jump start your slimming and overall health.
7. Un-dieting.  Intuitive eating replaces diets all together!  Hallelujah and thank you, it’s about time.  Dieting is futile, 80-95 percent of diets fail in the long-term.  Diets can also be harmful to our bodies, causing increased body dissatisfaction, weight cycling, and disordered eating.  Intuitive eating isn’t a trend, it’s an anecdote to all the other fads and trends.  I hope that more people will begin ditching the diet mentality and focusing on what helps them to feel good — not because they want to lose weight.

Here's the article, which is paraphrased above, for your full reading pleasure:  https://www.healthline.com/health-news/diet-trends-to-know-for-2019

What are you most looking forward to adding into your life?  

Simplicity is so easily forgotten this time of year! The simplicity of just talking, eating, laughing, playing, and enjoying time together. It's made in the connection to those you love. It's loving where you are, no matter where that is.

It also requires being present and disconnecting...which means putting away your phones that suck you out of the present.  This year, I plan to take around this box to all my family parties and set it in the middle of the table with a sign that says:  "Choose to be present, please leave your phone in the box."

Isn’t that what Christmas is all about though – simplicity?  We are the ones who have turned it into over-spending, obligations, fancy clothes and five course meals with an expectation of perfection.  But that’s not where the memories are made, guys.  In my house, memories are made in the gag gifts, mealtime mishaps, laughter that turns into a snort and gingerbread house messes.  It's when we realize how much we truly are one big, happy, messy, mixed, crazy family.

The holiday is, after all, about the simplicity of a baby boy who was born in a simple stable, sent from a God who came to connect with the lost, broken, messy people of the world.  It was the simple act of unconditional love that changed us and the world forever. A simplicity that is so easily forgotten this time of year.

What do you do or will you do to keep your Christmas simple this year?

​Merry Christmas to you all, from my family to yours!

Ditch the chemical loaded carmex this winter and make this 3 ingredient and 3 step lip balm. It’s easy and cheap REAL soothing lip balm.

• ​2 Tbsp Shea butter
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp beeswax pellets

Melt all on stove over very low heat, add 5 drops of your favorite oils. Some of my faves are orange + peppermint and lavender + clary sage.

1. Remember to Eat Real Food:  5 colors a day does not include M&Ms or cocktails.  Once the holiday season hits, so do the sweets. Cookies, pies and cakes seem to be everywhere this time of year. As much as my sweet tooth loves it, I also feel much better when I don't let the snacks, party food and deserts take over completely. With holiday parties in abundance, I am always sure to take a healthy side dish that I know myself and my kids love everywhere we go, then I know we will have something to mix in with other non-healthy options.

2. Schedule Some Solo Down Time:  Whether it's for a 10-minutes, a few hours or an entire day, put it on your calendar and let others know you're busy. Then, relax any way you want. Watch your favorite movie, soak in the tub, read a book, sleep - it's your personal quiet, alone, decompress time to help keep you feeling balanced among all the business of the season.  Even if it’s just in the car from one stop to the next, turn off the radio, listen to your breathing, use a little uplifting aromatherapy, be intentional and pour into yourself.  After all, you cannot love other the way you were intended if you don’t love yourself first.

3. Keep Exercise on Your Schedule:  It can be harder to fit in time to exercise with everything going on but this is also when it can help us the most. Exercise can help manage stress, it releases stronger endorphins than any pill and it will help keep those extra holiday pounds at bay as well! Exercise can also be like meditation in the way that it gives you a time and space to relax and clear your mind. This rush of endorphins is the “runners high” we hear about.  I know that making my morning yoga even more of a priority when I feel life getting busier and more stressful is going to keep me calm, grounded and feeling good. 

4. Prioritize Kindness:  The holidays are a good time to practice patience, compassion and kindness. Not only are more people feeling stressed, the holidays can be an emotionally difficult time for many. From random acts of kindness, compassion for another you see struggling or donating time or money to help others in need, now is the time. It's also going to leave you feeling light, happy and all around good!  It can be as simple as buying someone’s coffee behind you in line at Starbucks, dropping by a nursing home to hand out cookies and cards, or offering to buy gifts for a single mom you know.  I like to pre-make 5-10 small gift bags of essential oil sprays, candy or mints, and a $5 gift card for coffee or ice-cream.  Then, when I feel led, I grab one out and give it away to someone unexpectedly.  Don’t allow gift giving to be a burden, it is not how it is intended.  The gift of giving is truly the best gift the holidays offer.

5. Practice Gratitude:  Speaking of gifts, this is also the season of skyrocketing comparisons.  With every gift you give or receive, it’s so easy fall into the trap of comparing it with others.  With the advent of social media, comparing your life has become so easy and can happen right in your own living room.  Unfortunately, comparing yourself to others is a recipe for destruction, it’s like a thief that sneaks in and steals your happiness without you even knowing.  By practicing gratitude, you eliminate this.  Every evening spend 5 minutes writing in a notebook everything that happened on that day that you are thankful for.  It can be things that were awesome about your day or struggles that brought you growth in your life.  It can be the beauty of the season with the falling leaves, crisp grass and first snow, or the furnace going out that forces all your family into one bed snuggling together to stay warm until the next day.  Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, we all have beautifully messy lives…let’s embrace them like the wonder of a child on Christmas morning!

FREE Lunch & Learn Series: November

Are you tired of feeling the holiday overwhelm, even before the holidays start? There's a reason and a solution for that.

Stop in our "Lunch & Learn" Series this month and learn some secrets to not only surviving, but thriving, during this holiday season. We will discuss the "Top 5 Simple Holistic Health Tips" that bring you peace and joy in times of high stress...AND enjoy some healthy and warming lunch.

DATE AND TIMEMon, November 19, 2018
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EST


LOCATIONCity Cafe
505 West Broadway
Louisville, KY 40202

Register on Eventbrite Here

Questions, feel free to email me at teresa@louisvillenutritionandhealth.com

​Confession, I love podcasts, audible, online books and anything/everything I can listen to as often as I have time to fit it in my schedule.  I’ve been introduced to a new spiritual writer this week, Mark Nepo, who speaks profound truths in his books and poetry.  His personal fight with cancer provided him the opportunity to see and live life in a way he would’ve never done without it.  Here are just a few take-aways from the podcast I was lucky enough to hear while getting ready this morning.

1. We are ALL in an argument with life, no matter if it’s sickness, financial, relationships, stress or trauma.  It is our initiation into the practice of acceptance.  Life throws us all curve balls, it’s the suffering that returns us to the truth.  Who we are in the bad moments of life is who we really are.  Where we are right now IS life.  Embrace it, both its beauty and its beasts.  We are all on the verge of life and death and must embrace it all.
2. We are constantly moving towards what we want and then we slip up.  So much is in the commitment to the practice of return.  Return to the commitment to move towards your best self.  Be still and hold nothing back.  Lean into whatever is before me…not what I am looking for but what is there.  There is always a teacher next to us in every moment, so watch for those and let them help you grow.
3. Who we are is more than enough! Isn't that amazing? We weren’t designed to be like someone else, love all of you right now…wrinkles, gray hair, pimples, sickness, extra weight.  It’s all part of you and to not love part of you is not loving all of you.  
4. Every morning we are here for the first time.  We wake up to the sunrise and see and feel its beauty each day like it’s our first.  Make your to-do list, then pretend like it’s your last day on earth, how would that affect the priorities on your list?  Call that friend or family member, buy that drink for someone, hold that door, go to that event you’ve been wanting to go to, sit down at the fire instead of gathering more sticks and enjoy your time with those you love.

Action: Start journaling!  It’s a practice we all have done at one point in our lives.  Return to it.  Every morning spend 2 minutes in conversation with yourself with a pen and paper.  Ask yourself about your fears, talk about your day, your priorities and your relationships.  Answers are inside of you, if you sit down long enough to listen.