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Tuning Into Your Intuition

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Intuition is defined as 1. knowledge or belief obtained neither by reason nor by perception: 2. instinctive knowledge or belief: 3. a hunch or gut feeling. How many times have you had a gut feeling about something and pushed it aside for what you thought was rational choice? I’m willing to wager we all have! I know I sure have. And I bear life’s battle scars to prove it! Lessons learned, right? Absolutely!

My journey at this moment in my life had nothing to do with my rational mind. I’ve been a caretaker all my life … from stray animals to stray people and family. After my mother passed away from years of lingering illness my intuition didn’t nudge or gently speak to me. It screamed, “It’s Joni time!” To which my reply was instinctively, “I’m ready!” I’m following my passion and am in love with my intuition. She’s my new BFF!!!

Connect with YOUR Intuition

So, how do you connect with your intuition? Is it hard for you to trust your inner voice? Trust is a big obstacle in allowing your inner voice some volume. Let’s face it, it is hard to trust your inner voice if you don’t trust yourself. This is easily overcome. For real! It starts by keeping your word to yourself. If you tell yourself something, follow through. Be aware of the promises you make to yourself. Once you begin to honor Self, Self honors you.

Now that our self-trust is healthy how do we translate what our intuition is telling us? Here are a couple of tips that work for me.

  • Is it Fear or Intuition? – Fear is the breeding ground for excuses. Yep, trust me. All those excuses and justifications that pop in your head are a smoke screen designed by fear to confuse you. True intuition is visceral. Think gut reaction. You pull back and can’t really explain. Intuition is clear. Period.
  • Is it Excitement or Intuition? – I’ve learned this one the hard way. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten caught up in the excitement of something and pushed it forward only to be overwhelmed and in the end disappointed. The push is from the ego and mental excitement. Intuition pulls you forward. Not to mean there aren’t bumps in the path along the way, but the energy is completely different. If you aren’t sure which it is – excitement or intuition – focus on where the energy is coming from and that will guide you!
Intuition & Health

Let’s talk intuition in terms of our health! Do you listen to what your body is telling you? Have you honed your sixth sense when it comes to your health? Get tuned in to your body and feel – not think – that you KNOW what is good for you. This knowing will lead you down a path of truly sustainable health.

Nutritional advice is a tricky thing. Have you ever noticed how contradictory it is? You read a compelling study that assures you fat is bad and then, seemingly all of the sudden, the rules you’ve dedicated your eating habits to are blown out of the water. Learning to trust your intuition is a valuable tool in building a sustainable life.

Tuning into your intuition is powerful. Think of it as something you desire to nurture and honor. After all, it is the core of YOU! Please share any tips you have for tuning into the power of intuition. What works for you?

5 Easy Self Care Tips

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Self care is the act of loving yourself. Whether it is mind, body or spirit, it doesn’t matter as long as you are nurturing You. Dr. Chistiane Northrup says,

“You are responsible TO your life and health, not for your life and health.”

Amen. And Amen. What a powerful shift a simple preposition can make. We are responsible to our lives. Love this!

Once you understand the importance of self care and how to avoid the top three excuses for not scheduling in time for You, it’s time to implement. And implement with passion, Peeps! This is where intuition and self trust comes into play. You will know what feels right if you listen to your inner voice. Once you start taking care of You, it’s addictive and time will never be a factor again. Promise.

Five Fabulous Self Care Tips

1. Schedule quiet time. – Actually write it in ink on your calendar and if you don’t use one – start! I really dig meditation and music. They soothe my savage beast inside. Now that I do it regularly, everyone in my orbit is thankful and they never interrupt. Often they remind me before I have to remind myself. Powerful stuff. Seriously.

2. Take a hot bath. – This is so decadent to me but so simple. A 20 minute soak in an Epsom salt bath with a few drops of lavender, a candle, soothing music and I feel like a Queen. There’s a bonus here too. The Epsom salt helps you purge the toxins from the day.

3. Take yoga or exercise class. – Getting the body moving increases endorphins which help manage stress levels. You may need to try a few different classes, or instructors, until you find the right fit, but do something that gets you moving.

4. Journal. – This little tip is not so little in effect. Journaling is a powerful way to decompress and let yourself go. It can be in any form too! Some people keep a daily update of their lives, some write five things they’re thankful for each day and others still like to free flow and write whatever pops into their big beautiful brain that day. There are absolutely no rules. It’s all about You.

5. Get a massage. – A relaxing massage is not a frivolous activity for those with cha-ching. Massage provides health benefits; calms the nervous system, reduces tension and anxiety and improves blood circulation, which is the highway for delivering oxygen and nutrients to our cells. If you can’t swing it in the budget, make a deal with your partner to practice self care on each other.

Hopefully one, or all, of these tripped a trigger for you and your intuition is pointing you in a direction. Remember, self care is self love it isn’t selfish, it is necessary for radiant health.

 

Chocolate Mint Fudge

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Chocolate Mint! Oh, my!

I grew up looking forward to all my Mom’s holiday candy making and fudge was always my favorite.

But here’s the deal… Since I’ve gotten the sugar monkey off my back the thought of Mom’s fudge just doesn’t do it for me anymore. No worries. I just came up with a healthier solution. A solution that makes me feel good when I indulge!

This yummy cacao (healthier than processed chocolate!) dessert recipe helps you get through the holidays without packing on the pounds or feeling deprived.

These are great for a pre-workout energy bite, to bring to a holiday party and to crowd-out holiday candy.

Chocolate-Mint Fudge

ChocolateMintFudgeBites
You will need a mini muffin tin and mini muffin papers.

Ingredients:
* 1 ½ cups walnuts
* 1 cup pitted dates
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1/3 cup cacao powder
* ½ cup fresh mint (or a drop of peppermint essential oil)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in food processor, pulse and then blend well. The mixture should have the consistency of peanut butter.

Use a melon baller to scoop out mixture and form into one-inch balls; place in mini muffin paper cups. (I place the paper cups in a mini muffin tray so they don’t slide around.)

Leave as a round ball or simply press mixture into muffin cup (not as pretty but less fuss).

Remove muffin cups from tray and place in a re-sealable storage container using wax paper in between layers; store in freezer for at least one hour.

Remove and serve cold or at room temperature.

*Note: if you are reducing caffeine for a better night’s sleep, remember that cacao has caffeine. If you do eat a piece of the fudge, do so earlier in the day!

Fabulous Salad Dressings

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I love salads! They are a huge part of our weekly menu. Once I’ve prepped for the week, offering up a delightful bowl of goodness is super easy. I love to get creative with toppings too.

Dressings are a super simple way to add loads of nutrition into a meal with fabulous flavors. If I make a commitment I am ALL in! When I decided there would never be another bottle of store-bought dressing in this house I was on a mission to replace some of the hubby’s favorites.

Big Win!

I scored when I found Dr. Fuhrman’s, Eat to Live Cookbook. It opened me to the wonderful world of cooking without copious amounts of oil. These two yummy recipes for dressing are sans oil. Give them a try. Get comfortable with the ingredients and textures they create and then EXPERIMENT!

Before I get to the recipes, here is some valuable news on the importance of fat in your dressings. Yes, I said fat! Here is why. Fat-soluble carotenoids — important antioxidants like lutein, lycopene, and beta-carotene that help protect against a wide range of chronic diseases — contained in your salad aren’t absorbed as well by your body without monounsaturated fat.

The takeaway here is that your body needs at least some fat in order to get the most out of your salad. It serves no purpose to pile on the good veggies and not give your body the fuel it needs to make use of the nutrition they provide. The following recipes fit the bill, perfectly!

Nutritarian Caesar Dressing   (Serves 6)

I can’t claim this to taste like traditional Caesar … but it is so fresh and flavorful. It’s become one of our faves! Great on wraps or raw veggies too.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup raw cashews (Nuts.com has great prices)
6 ounces firm silken tofu
3 large cloves garlic, or to taste
2 medium celery stalks, chopped
½ cup water
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon white miso (I like Eden Foods, Certified Organic Shiro Miso)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 pitted Medjool dates or 4 Deglet Noor dates
1 teaspoon kelp granules (I like Maine Coast Sea Seasonings Kelp Granules)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (I like Bragg Nutritional Yeast Seasoning)
Freshly ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients in a high-powered blender and process until the mixture is the consistency of conventional Caesar dressing, adding more water or some soy milk if needed to adjust consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings and refrigerate until ready to use.

Makes about 2 ½ cups.

Orange Peanut Dressing   (Serves 4)

This hits the spot when you are going Asian! So tasty. The ginger really shines through if you add a bit more than the recipe calls for. Great on a wrap too…or by the spoonful!

INGREDIENTS

2 oranges, peeled and seeded
¼ cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter or ¼ cup unsalted peanuts
¼ cup raw cashews or ¼ cup raw cashew butter (Nuts.com has great prices)
1 teaspoon Bragg Liquid Amino or low-sodium soy sauce
¼ inch piece fresh ginger, peeled (I ALWAYS add more ginger!)
Small clove of garlic

DIRECTIONS

Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth.

 

Pumpkin: This Season’s Superfood

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Pumpkin

If you don’t think pumpkin is a powerful nutrient – read on!

Pumpkin’s benefits include:

• It’s high in fiber (helping you to feel fuller longer)
• It promotes healthy digestion
• It is a good source of vitamin A, which supports healthy vision, bone growth and immune system health
• Its vitamin A  is a natural source of carotenoids, which help our skin and mucous membranes repel bacteria and viruses more effectively. (Very important during the upcoming flu season.)
• Its seeds contain the amino acid “tryptophan,” which helps the body produce serotonin, which boosts your mood and supports a good night’s sleep!
• The seeds are also high in beta-carotene, which can reduce inflammation and protect against free radicals, lowering your risk of heart disease and cancer.
• The best way to eat pumpkin is roasted or pureed into a soup. Or try my recipe below for an unusual and delicious pumpkin hummus!

Pummus (Pumpkin Hummus!)

Ingredients:
* 2 TBSP tahini (sesame seed paste)
* Juice of one-half lemon pumpkin
* 1 TBSP olive oil
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* ½ tsp sea salt
* ¼ tsp red pepper or chipotle powder
* 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin PIE puree)
* 2 garlic cloves, chopped or minced
* 1 – 2 TBSP toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

Directions:
Put first 8 ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth. Spoon hummus into a serving bowl, sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds (optional). Refrigerate or serve at room temperature. For dipping, pair with carrots, celery, sliced bell peppers, cucumber slices, or any of your favorite fresh vegetables.

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How to Boost Your Mood with Citrus Oils

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Citrus oils are fantastic!

Just smelling the aroma of citrus oils opens your mind and awakens your spirit, and it just so happens they are great for mood elevation and can also help alleviate stress.

citrus oils

On top of that, citrus oils have properties that can be used to help inflammation, depression, sepsis, and act as an aphrodisiac.

So many studies have been done on the different reactions people have to various smells by measuring vital signs and mental stimulation. When people were exposed to citrus oils, the participants showed immediate signs of lowered anxiety and stress and more relaxing readings.

Some other incredible benefits of citrus oils include improved Various Citrus Oilsdigestion and reduced nausea. It is also effective to add these oils to your cleaning materials or make your own cleaning materials with them. They have a disinfecting quality and make your home smell great.

I always have a spray bottle with a citrus oil and water on the kitchen counter to disinfect and keep the kitchen sparkling!

When you are trying to lift your mood or just brighten your mind and day, use citrus oil directly on your skin (diluted with fractionated coconut oil), diffused into the air, or put them into a relaxing bath.

One of my favorite afternoon pick-me-ups is to diffuse peppermint and wild orange. The peppermint peps me up and the wild orange helps me stay in my mellow groove. If you don’t have a diffuser handy just put a drop of each in the palm of your hand, cup them and sniff away! 🙂

What’s your favorite citrus oil? For me it’s hard to pick a favorite. Lemon, lime, grapefruit, tangerine, wild orange, bergamot…oh my! That’s why I have one of each on hand at all times, but I always make sure it is 100% pure. Yes, you really can smell the difference.  😉

An important word of caution: Some oils, especially the citrus oils, are photosensitive. When using a photo sensitizing oil, wait a minimum of six hours before exposing skin to UV rays. The stronger and more lengthy the UV ray, the longer the wait should be.

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