Lacing Up My Determination

I know I've been MIA the past couple weeks. so I wanted to at least update you on what I've been up to and also share some great quotes I found today.

I have been spending a lot more time working out and running, now that I feel like my adrenal glands and panic attacks are under more control. I can't even put into words how great it is to feel a little more "normal" and to be able to get my heart rate up with a good workout. The 5HTP seems to really be helping a lot !

This past Saturday I decided last minute to run a 5K, in the crazy heat, and have been trying to recuperate since then. Haha. I ran with a few friends and we all had a pretty tough time, due to the heat and humidity, even though it was a twilight run at 8:30PM. We all got pretty disappointing finishing times, but I kept trying to remind myself that what mattered is that I got out there and challenged myself and at least finished it standing up and not passed out on the course. Haha. It was a good challenge and I can at least say I ran a 5K during one of Washington DC/Northern VA's hottest weeks ever!

I have been determined to get through these panic attacks and adrenal issues since the very first day they showed up and I am so pleased to finally, after a very long time of researching and trial and error, be able to start accomplishing my goals. One of the things that Tyler told me before he deployed was that he wanted me to continue to go after my dreams and never give up...I think he would be proud.

I was looking on-line today for some good encouraging quotes to add to my collection and I wanted to share what I found, in hopes that it might encourage you. I hope you enjoy.

Meg

"Instead of giving myself reasons why I can't, I give myself reasons why I can."

~ Unknown

"When you feel like giving up, remember why you held on for so long in the first place."

~ Unknown

"Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you."

~ Aldous Huxley

Before. . .

After. . .

Is Happiness In Your Juice?

"Happiness is an inside job."

I found this quote inside the wrapper of a delicious dark chocolate treat and absolutely loved it-both the chocolate and the quote :o). I believe that happiness truly is an inside job and until we learn to be content and happy with ourselves, and on our own, we will be unable to be truly happy in relationships and friendships; and definitely in difficult times.

There are so many situations and people in life that can hurt and discourage us, but it is up to us to decide if we are going to hold on to that hurt with an iron grip; or instead, let it go and learn how to be content and happy despite our circumstances. When we learn to react with gracious strength we can selflessly love others no matter how they have hurt us. I know from multiple experiences that bitterness and unforgiveness both like to parade into my heart in an effort to convince me that they are everything I want. I have learned the hard way that "unforgivenss is like drinking poison and hoping it kills the other person", and holding onto pain only fills my hands too full to receive emotional healing instead. When we learn to sift the good out of a bad experience we are able to learn and move forward in life with a gracious and thankful attitude. You will look back and be thankful for the lesson learned and know that it is has played an important part in shaping you into all you are meant to be in life.

So you may be asking why I'm talking about everything BUT juice. I believe that the way we look at moments in life is heavily influenced by not only our upbringing, but also our daily nutrition...or lack thereof. What? Yep. Without proper nutrition, especially for your brain, your body is left to struggle through the variety of emotions you experience each day. The result is a very tired, foggy brained, emotional, stressed out you. As I've shared with you in my bio, I started dealing with panic attacks and light depression a year after going through heartbreaking loss. In a desperate attempt to heal my body naturally and feel "normal" again, I began to research continuously and seek advice from a multitude of people with knowledge in the field of holistic nutrition. I eventually found the book The Mood Cure and have been taking suggested natural supplements for about a month. In addition to taking 5HTP, GABA, and krill oil, I have added more healthy fats such as: coconut oil, unpasteurized butter, nuts, and avacado. I have also started being more consistent with juicing daily. I feel SO much better. My panic attacks have subsided significantly and I am able to run/workout longer without my adrenal glands cutting my activity short and causing my body to "freak out".

I know how hard it is to find "happy" when you are discouraged or hurt. Dealing with sadness, anger, and stress are hard enough as it is, and grief, anxiety, depression, etc. only make the whole experience that much more of a seemingly impossible task. However, life will always throw you a curveball and there will definitely never fail to be people willing to be hurtful. It's up to you how you will allow it to shape you...for better or worse.

I believe that happiness is indeed in your juice if you always strive to see your glass half full.

To fill your glass with a healthy yummy juice try this 'Happy Morning' flavor combo from one of my favorite books. I left the spinach out of mine and drank it in a martini glass :o).

Recipe:

1/2 green apple

4-5 carrot, tops removed

3 fennel stalks;include leaves and flowers

1/2 cucumber

1 handful of spinach

1 inch piece of gingerroot, peeled

*Fennel juice has been used as a traditional tonic to help the body release endorphins, the feel good peptides, from the brain into the bloodstream Endorphins help diminish anxiety and fear, and generate a mood of euphoria.

Also check out what Dr. Mercola has to say: Can Juicing Really Lead to Happiness?

Love and Support, Meg

Strength in Your Stride

"Life is a Journey, Not a Destination." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Whether you are walking through grief from loss, dealing with anxiety, suffering through depression, or all three; I promise there is hope for healing and happiness along the way. It has almost been two years since I lost the person I thought I would be sharing my journey through life with (full story on Who Is the Watered Sprout page); and even though there have been so many obstacles on this unexpected route through grief, I have always somehow made it past the challenge and continued to press forward. One of the things Tyler used to say to me all the time was the quote I posted above. He would look me square in the eyes and gently remind me to enjoy all the ups and downs in the journey of life and focus less on the destination. Dealing with grief and anxiety is no exception to the rule. I have found it to be that much more important for me to "live in the moment" and not focus on what the future holds. When I find myself rushing through moments in life, or worrying about what obstacles are ahead of me on this path, I try to stop and remember Tyler's determined gaze and Arkansas accent lovingly reminding me to take a chill pill and be patient with life.

Yesterday morning I was reading more in the book Unattended Sorrow and  I really liked what the author says about the mindset through loss, and how simply walking can be a crucial tool to enabling ourselves to heal...

(Excerpts pgs. 96-104)

"When we investigate our feelings instead of blindly following them, relating to them with mercy and  mindfulness instead of relating from them with fear and despair, we can glimpse the difference between  freedom and bondage...Grief and all the inflictive emotions that are associated with it have a certain hallucinatory quality about them insists it is going to go on forever and only going to get worse...Fear says, "I will ruin you!" and a moment later, turning toward fear with mindful fascination, we find ourselves "a whole world new person."...We begin to discover just how much of our anger, our fear, and our distrust in everything but our pain is a manifestation of unattended sorrow...Unresolved grief results from not only the loss of a loved one but also from the way that life roller-coasters between clinging for dear life and a hollowness in the pit of the stomach. Most of our resentments in life, no matter how guilefully disguised by the mind, are actually a grief reaction spawned from earlier feelings of loss...It may take being lost in the maze of feeling totally hopeless and helpless before we can eventually surrender our pain, open it to investigation and eventual healing...When we investigate, we find beneath the grief of anger a reservoir of sadness. And beneath that sadness, an ocean of love beyond our wildest dreams...

Today, take yourself for a walk.Walking, much like singing, steadies the mind...At first we find the mind doing the walking; then the body soon takes over, and with that, our thoughts are free to flow...As we watch the beginning, the middle, and the end of each step.perhaps we notice thoughts with that same focused attention-the beginning, the middle, and end of each thought-before each blends into the next...After walking for a while, stop to rest...Sit quietly, reflecting with the mindfulness accumulated with each step fully noticed. Feel the body you sit in, listen for the sounds that take a moment to hear, feel the air on your skin..."

I have found this past year that it really has been helpful for me to briskly walk or run when I am dealing with emotional pain. There was a time, mostly the first year of dealing with the overwhelming grief, that I couldn't muster up the energy or desire to even leave my bed, room, or apartment, but eventually I worked my way out the door and then took one step at a time. As days passed, my walks turned into runs and I continued to add more strides each time. There are still emotional days that sneak up on me and drain me of my energy and motivation to to do much; and dealing with panic attacks and muscle complications from my IT band and hips have definitely been a challenge, but I know that each time I make it out the door and walk or run I am gaining strength in my body and my soul.

So, lace up your shoes and head out with me on a little run or walk to soak up some sun, feel the wind against your back, and set your thoughts free. You just might find that your worries stay on the path behind you, making a little more room for peace to move into your heart.

Meg

The Finicky Olive

I recently posted about the benefits of using coconut oil as your main oil in cooking. I was comparing the oil to extra virgin olive oil; and while I still believe that coconut oil does wonders for your body, inside and out, I just learned that a semi-refined olive oil could actually be better for you, or at least equall to coconut oil, due to it's sturdiness against oxidation (which causes an oil to become rancid). Extra virgin olive oil contains chlorophyll, which accelerates the oxidation process. I included the Mercola video below where Dr. Rudi Moerck talks about the best way to use and store a semi-refined olive oil.

Dr. Mercola Interviews Dr. Rudi Moerck on Cooking Oils