January 7, 2021
Welcome to the Be Well newsletter!
I’ll be popping into your inbox monthly to share recipes, healthy tips, a Pilates exercise of the month as well as essential oil education. I welcome any and all feedback, so if there is a topic you would like me to address, or a workshop you would like to see, all you have to do is ask! I feel that now more than ever, it’s important to stay connected, and keep each other’s spirits up.
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With that being said, why not reach out to someone you haven’t seen or spoken to in a while? I guarantee it’ll brighten both of your days!
First up, a reminder to get outside and enjoy the fresh air-even if that air feels more hot and humid than fresh!
Avoid the hottest part of the day, opt for the shady side of the street, and spend some quality time with your thoughts, your pups, or a podcast. Aside from the benefits of fresh air and vitamin D, a walk is a great way to refresh and nourish yourself and your mind! I alternate between guided meditation (yes, I do it while I walk!) and podcasts. I often solve a problem I’ve been wrestling with or come up with a great business idea while on a walk; when I’m outside walking I do my best thinking!
Moving on to Pilates, and the exercise of the month: The Open Leg Rocker!
I am thrilled to see the progress in all my virtual regulars who had been struggling with this one. Remember, Pilates is a practice, and doing an exercise over and over again will absolutely improve your execution.
1. Grab as high up on your legs as possible (ankles, ideally) and be sure your legs are wider than the shoulders.
2. Keep your arms straight and solidly connected to the back and scoop the lowest part of your tummy in and up.
3. Feel your powerhouse engaged as you balance, and then rollback to your shoulder blades (like a rocking chair, not a rolling ball!) and come right back up, bringing the chest toward your legs.
Don’t worry if you don’t come up perfectly each time, have fun with it! I often tell my clients that all the stars need to align when doing this exercise, but once you find it, you’ll feel like you are light! When you feel super solid, try grabbing the toes. Want to get really crazy? Grab toes with the legs together!
If you haven’t tried a virtual lesson yet, contact me and I promise you’ll be amazed at how effective these lessons are, even though we’re not technically in the same room!
Book a virtual Pilates lesson here.
This feels like the “smoothie of the summer”, and I’ve been playing with different variations.
My current fave: banana, pineapple, mango and raspberry with a persian cucumber, fresh baby spinach and coconut water.
The raspberry and cucumber make this a very refreshing combination! Be sure that whatever liquid you are adding (coconut water, almond milk, etc,) has no added sugar. The fruit has plenty of natural sugar, but also contains fiber, vitamins and minerals, so a smoothie is a great option to jumpstart your day in a healthy way.
Pro-tip: freeze cut up bananas, and by using frozen fruit you’ll eliminate the need for ice cubes. Also, throw in some chia seeds and bump up the nutrients.
While we are talking about food, I have to say I am seriously obsessed with bowls.
I have always loved throwing a bunch of goodies (or leftovers!) in a bowl and calling it breakfast, lunch or dinner, but I have discovered that actual BOWL RECIPES exist! Who knew?! Ideally a bowl should have some variety of grain, protein, veggie, a crunch factor and some kind of fabulous spice component, whether it’s a sauce drizzled over the top, or in the preparation of your protein. but there are no rules here, just go for a variety of texture and flavor!
Two bowls we’ve had on repeat lately:
Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls With Spicy Lime Tahini Dressing from All The Healthy Things
Chicken Larb Bowls from What’s Gaby Cooking
The essential oil I’m highlighting this month is ylang ylang.
(Pronounce ee-lang, ee-lang)
This oil’s botanical family is tropical trees and shrubs. The scent is exotic, a combination of floral and spice. Some of Ylang Ylang’s common primary uses are: arrhythmia, aphrodisiac, anxiety, fear, exhaustion, hair loss, high blood pressure, and hormonal balance. It’s calming and relaxing and may help alleviate anger. I have been reaching for the calming oils a lot more often these days, and finding them very helpful in soothing any worried or anxious feelings that have been surfacing.
It blends well with bergamot (one of my favorite uplifting citrus oils) as well as geranium, grapefruit, lemon, marjoram, sandalwood and vetiver. Diffuse this, inhale it directly, apply neat to pulse point or take it in a capsule!
Contact me with any questions about these all natural healing oils!
Let’s finish this month’s newsletter with a quote:
“To the youngster talking nonsense, Zeno said, “The reason why we have two ears and only one mouth is so we might listen more and talk less.” -Diogenes Laertius
We talk because we think we are helping, but sometimes the person we are talking with just wants us to listen, they want to be heard. Good advice, in my opinion; I’m working on it!
Be Strong, Be Healthy, Be Well
xo, Cassandra
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