Tag: work related stress

Benefits of Magnesium

Posted on October 18, 2015January 8, 2020 by Lisa Hopp

If you’re experiencing stress and aches and pains – magnesium just might be the mineral you are looking for. Not only does magnesium offer many health benefits, you can utilize it in many ways. Magnesium is found in many delicious foods, you can soak in epsom salt baths, or you can take supplements.

Benefits of Magnesium

Magnesium helps with calcium absorption and Vitamin D absorption
Reduces the risk of diabetes
Helps with the health of muscles and nervous system
Reduces PMS symptoms

Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency

Achy muscles
Anxiety
Fatigue
Sleep disorders
Irritability
Insomnia
Low blood pressure

Eat It

There are many foods to incorporate into your diet to increase your magnesium.

Dark chocolate
Dark leafy greens
Nuts
Seeds
Fish
Bananas
Beans
Yogurt

Soak In It

Soaking in epsom salts is a great option to draw toxins out of the body, soothe the nervous system, reduce muscle aches and pain from magnesium deficiency or exercise, and reduce stress. Have fun with it! Add essential oils for more benefits or for aroma.

Supplement With It

Of course, there’s always the option to take a daily magnesium supplement. Speak with your doctor about the appropriate dosage for you.

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Create Your Own Outdoor Oasis

Posted on June 4, 2015January 8, 2020 by Lisa Hopp

Have you dreamed of a space to unwind and decompress during the summer? You can create your own outdoor oasis by following just a few of these tips. We’ve collected pictures of a few spaces to inspire you to create a great space to enjoy.

Lighting:

What is it about lights and the way they make a space seem so inviting. Simply add some stringed lights and tiki torches to your patio to create a space to unwind in the evening hours.

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Colorful Fabrics:

Simply add some colorful pillows and cushions to your furniture on the deck or patio to create a more inviting and relaxing space.

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Keep It Simple:

Create your own private sanctuary in the corner of your yard. This idea is simple with a few pieces of lawn furniture, potted plants and screen for decor and privacy. Can you imagine relaxing with the feel of grass beneath your feet?

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Water Element:

Consider adding a water element like this adorable miniature personal spa. But if a spa isn’t your thing, you could add a fountain or pond to enjoy.

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How have you created a Stress Free Space: Outdoor Oasis of your own?

My First Week Without Sugar

Posted on October 26, 2014January 8, 2020 by Lisa Hopp

Struggling with fatigue, weight gain, and a horrible addiction to pop, I decided to give up sugar just to see. I figured I had nothing to lose except maybe the nice large pop belly I’d been carrying around. I had successfully stopped drinking Coca-Cola three years before, but ultimately just replaced it with coffee smothered in creamer and other sugary drinks and eventually I started to drink a different pop every day. Completely frustrated, I decided I needed to go cold turkey and cut out sugar and sugary treats out of my diet all together.

Let me start by telling you I didn’t completely cut out all sugar. And I was okay with that for now. I was drinking 40 ounces of pop per day. That is the equivalent of nearly 600 calories per day or 4,200 calories per week. With a pound equivalent to 3,500 calories, I was consuming the equivalent of over 1 lb. per week in pop. Eliminating pop would make a huge difference. But as I already explained, I tended to replace it with other sugary drinks so I decided to give up all sugary drinks and sugary snacks. I didn’t want to sneak in the sugar.

I started with replacing my morning coffee and creamer (I’d use about 4 tbsp. = 20 g sugar) with chai tea and milk – and sometimes I sprinkled it with cinnamon. For me, this was a very close replacement and had this 1-2 x’s per day. I replaced my pop with ice cold water with a splash of lemon juice.

I made sure I had snacks to help me through the day. I had a granola bar (this had 7g of sugar),yogurt (this had 24 g of sugar! I will be cutting this out soon) apples with peanut butter, chips with artichoke dip, and cashews for snacks throughout the week. Yes, some of the snacks had sugar, but I already had them and wanted to start out slow.

With a lot of determination, I made it through the first week. I lost 3 lbs. and do feel a lot better. I have to admit there were a few days of fatigue as my body adjusted to this new diet. I also noticed if I started to crave a pop or sugary snack and I ate something healthy, it did take care of the craving. I also noticed I wasn’t hungry as often. Before, I was snacking nearly non-stop, but now that I wasn’t eating sugar I started to notice true hunger.

Today, I decided to try Vitamin Water Zero as my doctor indicated Stevia was the only sweetener she would recommend as it was natural. Oddly, it tastes okay, but I’m not liking the sweetness after only a week of reducing my sugar. I look forward to another week!

Days reducing sugar – 7

Pounds lost – 3

Have you cut sugar out of your diet? Please share your story with us and email to contact@bodyworkatlernativesblog.com We’d love to share your story on our blog.

How I Got My Weekends Back

Posted on August 15, 2014January 8, 2020 by Lisa Hopp

After a long week, I would spend my entire weekend cleaning the house, grocery shopping, and other errands. I was exhausted, tired and felt taken advantage of. I was feeling empty and deprived of time for myself. Basically I was feeling robbed.

I dream of having the perfect house with everything in its place, but for now I’d just be happy with not having my house look like a tornado hit it every weekend. And I’d also like to have a little bit of time to read a book, scrapbook or write. You know actually feel like I had a weekend.

The first decision I made was to commit to doing a chore a day during the week instead of saving it all up for the weekend. I created a chart of tasks I’d like to ensure I do every day and added an additional chore each day. I print this out at the beginning of each week and place on my refrigerator. Every day, I consult the list for the tasks I’ve assigned myself to do each day and enjoy checking them off as I complete them.

As I’m working on this new habit of doing a little bit more during the week, I’m learning my expectations of myself were a little too high. I do not check off every item every day. Often times, I find they don’t need to be completed on a daily basis. I still keep all the task listed. I like the daily reminder of the areas I want to see clean everyday.

On the weekends, I’m happy to see I only have an hour or two of quick clean-up around the house and I’m able to enjoy feeling like I have the time to spend time on other things I want to do.

How do you make sure you get to keep a little bit of fun in your weekend.

Spinach and Avocado Salad

Posted on July 13, 2014January 8, 2020 by Lisa Hopp

This is one of our favorite recipes! Great for the summer as a light meal or as a side dish year-round. Make this all at once or partially prepare ahead of time. I don’t recommend cutting the avocado up ahead of time because it gets slimy within a day. But you can chop up the red onion, pistachios and tomatoes the night before for easy assembly the next day.