Stress has become such a commonplace part of our every day lives. So many things running through our mental checklists at all times, "Did I remember to get something out for dinner? Why didn't my baby sleep well last night? Did I take my supplements this morning?"
I wanted to share an intentional way for you to focus on relaxing your mind throughout the course of your day. This easy-to-implement habit will help to mitigate stress and improve your overall well-being.
Breathing! - we do it everyday, but can we do it better?
There are so many benefits and even different ways to be intentional with it.
Like yes we breathe everyday at every moment but when you take time to do that slow, deep and intentional breathing it’s an amazing impact on your mind and body ❤️
Deep breathing is the act of slowing down your breath and relaxing your mind.
How can deep breathing help me?
What comes to mind when you think of deep breathing? Things like meditations and yoga?
Did you know it’s actually beneficial for everyone and can be done in any setting?
Taking a moment everyday to do a simple guided breathing technique can have huge positive effects on your body and overall health!
The more oxygen in your blood, the more energy you’ll have; I know we could all use that!
When the afternoon slump hits, take a minute to take a few deep breaths 💕 you’ll be amazed at the feeling.
Do you take time for deep breathing?
The harvest is associated with abundance, prosperity and wealth. Humans too experience an "autumn". If spring represents new birth and childhood, and summer symbolizes youth, autumn represents adulthood and maturity.
I wanted to share with you my must haves for the Autumn season as a new mom.
Diffuser scents : I just got an essential oil called cozy chai and it just brings me right into that fall mood without all those nasty candle chemicals
Sweaters that fit : having recently given birth, I truly have no idea if I even have any sweaters that fit and allow me to breastfeed. eh. So what I'm hearing is that I should go shopping?😜
Cute hats: I have a love/hate relationship with hats. I like my sunhat that I would always wear whenever I was in California, but I haven't yet found a winter hat I actually want to wear that is cute - favorite hats anyone?
A warm fun drink of choice: I talk a lot about this because to me having an exciting hot beverage to enjoy when it’s cold out just makes things that much cozier! what’s yours?
Cute boots!: I love to wear my fall boots, yes even in Florida I can do that in January, I used to love to wear high healed leather boots that went up to my mid calf-these days not so much, more of the short boot style with a little heel -what about you?
🍂What are your Fall Must Haves! Comment below and let me know!
Something I get asked about in terms of pregnancy (well besides food that is) is the all too famous stretch marks!
So I wanted to share some of my pregnancy secrets for your growing belly!
Your skin is literally being stretched by growing a human (which is pretty amazing if you think about it!) BUT can we do anything for those marks that sometimes show up and don’t always make you feel the most confident version of you? Absolutely!!!
First, let me say, YES there is something to be said about wearing them with pride, but also we can do so much to support the health of our skin along the way! It's not only important to support your skin for stretch marks, but with a rapidly growing belly and stretching skin can come lots and lots of itching too.
Every night I would apply what I call the happy belly blend. This is my super simple balm-like recipe that consists of Lavender, Frankincense and Cypress essential oils mixed with coconut oil. It is so soothing for the itching and it’s also very moisturizing which may help with the appearance of any stretch marks.
Here is what you will need:
A glass jar with lid for storage
Coconut oil
Young Living Essential oils (Lavender, Frankincense, and Cypress)
Start by melting down the coconut oil and then give it some time to cool a bit (not until completely hardened, you still want it soft for mixing).
Then go in and add about 10 drops of each essential oil and stir just until it's well incorporated.
To be fair I just threw random amounts in towards the end of pregnancy.
I am extremely picky about what goes on my body and essential oils have little regulation. Young Living oils tick all the boxes for me when it comes to the best of the best in the industry, so only Young Living essential oils for me.
During my last few months of pregnancy someone said to me that I could get stretch marks after birth, which I thought well maybe that is possible?
But also, maybe not!
Luckily for me (as usual, disclaimer here that everyone’s body is different!) that did not happen!
I'm in the process of creating a guide all around nutrition and support for pregnant women to share all my secrets and best kept tips to help you during your journey, join the waitlist here to be the first to know when it's available!
B vitamins are an important part of pregnancy because B12 specifically is required for a process called methylation, which is involved in gene expression, cell differentiation, and organ formation. You’ve likely heard of these in different ways, depending upon what you’re dealing with. Each one does a lot of different things and are important for our body systems to operate in homeostasis (think balance).
Without enough B12, the risk of miscarriage, neural tube defects and preterm delivery go up.
Depending upon what you eat there’s nothing to worry about, but if you’re diet leaves something to be desired you can definitely clean it up and get that B12 you need!
Vitamin B12 is primarily found in animal-based foods, such as meat, fish, dairy products, and eggs. Pregnant women who follow vegetarian or vegan diets may be at risk of B12 deficiency and should consult with a healthcare provider about appropriate supplementation or dietary strategies to ensure they meet their B12 needs.
During pregnancy, it is generally recommended that women consume an adequate amount of vitamin B12 through their diet or supplements as prescribed by a healthcare provider to support the health and development of both the mother and the baby (always consult with your care team first!).
Here are some of the key functions of vitamin B12 during pregnancy:
- Red Blood Cell Formation: B12 helps prevent anemia by ensuring an adequate supply of healthy red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body.
- Neurological Development: important for the proper development of the baby's nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord.
- DNA Synthesis: essential for the rapid growth and development of the fetus.
- Energy Metabolism: helps convert food into energy, which is especially important during pregnancy when the body's energy needs increase.
- Folate Metabolism: adequate B12 levels are necessary to support the function of folate in reducing pregnancy related risks.
- Immune System Support: helps maintain a healthy immune system, which is important for both the mother and the developing fetus.
I'm in the process of creating a guide all around nutrition and support for pregnant women to help you during your journey! Join the waitlist here and be the first to know when it launches!
Nutrition is such a hot topic when you are expecting, there is so much information out there about vitamin needs during pregnancy that it can be overwhelming!
Let’s break down some of the vitamins that are important for pregnant mamas.
One of the B vitamins that is really important for pregnancy (and let's be real a ton of other ones do too) is Folate or Vitamin B9.
This vitamin helps prevent birth defects and healthy cell division.
HOWEVER.... do not confuse this with folic acid, the synthetic form of folate that is present in many prenatal vitamins.
Many people have what’s known as the MTHFR gene variation (that we talked about earlier this month) which means that up to 60% of the population is unable to use the synthetic form of folate.
During pregnancy, it is generally recommended that women consume an adequate amount of Folate through their diet or supplements to support the health and development of both the mother and baby. Folate needs can vary among individuals, so it's important for pregnant women to discuss their specific dietary and nutritional requirements with their healthcare team to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
It's worth noting that folate is primarily found in foods, such as beef liver, lentils, asparagus, eggs, and raw spinach.
I'm in the process of creating a guide all around nutrition and support for pregnant women to help you during your journey so comment below if you want to be added to the list! 🫶
