 This gift giving guide is local to the West Kootenays, in British Columbia, Canada. A small collection of rural towns surrounded by mountain peaks, endless wilderness and cold waters. This holiday season I have pledged to try and only shop local to support as many small businesses as I can. Shopping local has a variety of benefits including helping the local economy and reducing fossil fuels because of reduction in time taken to ship the product to you. It can utilize less plastic and create more connections in the community to local artists, healers and businesses. This list includes many of my family and friends who have start a small business within the past few years. Here are a few of my favourite local businesses I hope you can support for the upcoming holidays. 1. Reiki with Kayla Interested in energy healing? Kayla is an old friend of mine who is now sharing her passion of healing through reiki sessions. She is located in Castlegar and is now offering gift cards to purchase. I went to a session a month or two ago. I fell in love with her treatment and the benefits I felt after the session! Check out her facebook page here. 2. Alix Parisotto Ceramics Although her studio is based in Kelowna, Alix is an original Fruitvale girl sharing her passion for art through pottery. The handmade mug I have from her is my favourite choice in the morning for matcha. Checkout her website for gifts here alixparisottoceramics.com/ 3. Briana's Designs My favourite service provided by Briana is the ability for her to print this "Kootenay Grown" design on any old piece of clothing you own, to promote sustainability and eco-friendly fashion. Briana's designs are original, creative and local to Nelson. I very much enjoy her handmade stickers and buttons, here is her shop www.etsy.com/ca/shop/BrianaDesignsShop 4. Art by Kimboho Kimberly is a Kootenay artist, sharing her love for nature and the outdoors through jewellery, prints, tshirts, mugs, water bottles and more. You will most likely see her at your local market but since they are closed this year, check out her etsy shop to support this lady! www.etsy.com/ca/shop/Artbykimboho 5. The Roasted Chickpea Have someone to buy for who loves plant-based nutrition? The Roasted Chickpea is your go-to meal-prep and recipe blogger whose meals can be found in local coffee shops and markets around the Kootenays. View her website here to pre-order your food or explore her discount codes with other Kootenay-based businesses www.theroastedchickpea.com/ 6. Alle Atkinson Know someone who could benefit from some time in the gym? This girl is your one-stop-shop for everything from spin and group fitness classes to Personal training and Kinesiology. You can find her at Elevate Training in Trail. Her email is alle@elevate-sport.ca and you can find her on Instagram at @trainwithalle 7. Mountain Nugget Chocolate Have a chocolate lover in the family? (You can always include yourself). Mountain Nugget Chocolate Shop in Rossland has everything you need from truffles to bars to ice cream, warm drinks and pastries. They are committed to making delicious tasting desserts and serving the Rossland community. You can order online now at www.mountainnugget.com/ or visit them in person. 8. The Nadi Tree  The Nadi Tree is an inclusive, energizing space for all types of physical activity including group fitness, spin classes, yoga and dance. The community here is inviting and encouraging, to help you or a friend to reach their goals. A gift card could be the perfect present for that special someone. Find their website here thenaditree.com/ 9. Sew Wired Artworks Interested in homemade, one of a kind jewellery? Sew Wired Artworks is based in Fruitvale, my hometown! She creates beautiful, unique pieces for you or your special person. You can view her newest pieces on Facebook here. 10. Crystal Lotus Yoga Shala  Another Fruitvale business, Crystal Lotus Yoga Shala is also a very inclusive space made for community healing in the heart of the village. The owner, Monse, is committed to bring yoga to all types of bodies no matter the age, ability, size or shape. You can buy class passes and find updates about the studio here. 11. Virtue Tea As a matcha lover myself, I will always recommend this brand from Nelson. With a variety of teas on their website, Virtue tea is unique, family-run and has amazing customer service. You can order tea online via virtuetea.ca/ and you can never go wrong with buying their ceremonial matcha! 12. Diesel's Designs Diesel's Designs, based out of Castlegar is the best shop for scrunchies, dog bandanas and more. This year, I bought Daisy and myself a scrunchy/bandana set for us to match on our daily walks. You can view her website here www.dieselsdesigns.com/ and feel free to ask about custom orders, she will make whatever you are looking for! 13. Last, but definitely not least, Fly Culture was created by another Kootenay original showing his love for the outdoors through a small online business. Know a man who needs some new flies for Christmas? This is the best place to find hand-tied, professional flies and gift cards. Find their website here flyculture.ca/ I hope you enjoyed learning about each of these small businesses. I feel they reflect the culture of the West Kootenays well and would love your support over the holidays. Cheers to supporting local! Enjoy the holidays. Thanks for reading!
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Yoga offers us a way to connect to our mind, body & soul. As someone who is continually learning more about this practice, I want to share with you easy ways to include yoga daily. This can be as simple as a few deep breaths in the morning or before bed. Or sitting with your coffee in the morning with no other distractions. Yoga isn’t just about the physical practice. It can be included in your mental and spiritual practices as well. I understand yoga can feel intimidating for some and I want you to know I felt that way once before too. The truth is, you can only get better by practising, just like everything else in life. That's why I am here! I want to make yoga accessible to all body types, abilities and ages through this online platform so today I will show you yoga poses you can try to add into your daily routine. Since yoga can be perceived differently by each of us, this is a simple way to begin your personal yoga journey. These poses can be done at anytime throughout the day. There is more information below on how to perform each pose. Enjoy! Forward Fold (Uttanasana)  Keep the knees soft, let your belly rest on the thighs, let your head and neck fall toward the earth, breathe deeply as you exhale closer to your mat. Halfway Lift (Ardha Uttanasana)  Lift the crown of the head forward, bringing the chest upwards as well, hands to the knees or floor. Always inhale on this pose and follow with an exhale into forward fold.  Here is a more advanced option. Cat/Cow (Marjaryasana)  In Cat pose, we lift the eyes to the sky, drop the belly, open the chest while flaring the hip bones out behind us. Inhale here. Match your breath to the movement.  In Cow pose, we take the eyes to the thighs, open through the back body and curl through the shoulders. Exhale here. Repeat between the two poses as necessary. Child's Pose (Balasana)  Starting on all fours, take the big toes together and the knees as wide as the mat. Slowly walk your hands forward as you sit your hips back onto your heels. Exhale here. Take a few moments in this pose to relax. Plank (Phalakasana)  In Plank pose, we want the hands directly underneath the shoulders, the ankles on top of the toes while bringing the belly button towards the spine. Remember to keep the head facing towards the floor. If this is to difficult see the next variation.  All we do to regress this pose is drop the knees to the floor. While you are practising these poses, here are some movement tips:
I hope this post is able to help some of you gradually add yoga into your day. Remember, it takes time and practise for this to become part of your lifestyle. Thank you for reading! This is how to flourish. Personally, summer is my favourite time of the year. If your birthday occurs during the summer season, I imagine you feel the same passion towards this time of the year as I do. I contribute this love for the summer months to being a fire sign astrologically. My birthday is July 28 which makes me a Leo. During these times, the sun is shining, the gardens are growing and the bumblebees are humming. It is pure perfection. I apologize in advance if you do not feel the same way I do about summertime but I hope I can change your mind. This summer, I am challenging you to let yourself relax. Let yourself fully indulge of everything summer offers. Use the glorious weather as an invitation to heal your mind, body and soul. With the current pandemic occurring, it is the perfect time for us to dive into our self wellness. It is time to tap into your PARASYMPATHETIC nervous system. Your parasympathetic nervous system is one of two divisions of the autonomic nervous system which acts unconsciously within your body. The parasympathetic system is also known to us as the "Rest & Digest" system. Maybe you have heard of the sympathetic system before, also known as the "Fight or Flight" system, these two systems are opposite of one another. When we rest and digest, our body slows down to focus on healing, digesting and reducing stress. When we are in fight or flight mode, our body focuses on increasing vision, muscle function and perspiration. Understand? If you need more information, here is an educational link. Now you may be asking yourself, how can I do this? There is no simple answer to this question as each of us have our own individual experiences with relaxation of the body. Today we are going to discuss simple ideas you can add into your everyday life that will help you relax this summer. Even if you have that full-time job, a family and trying to live a social life... we can do this.  Ask yourself: "What is my favourite summer activity?" "Where is one place I want to explore this summer?" "What is one unhealthy habit I can change to promote relaxation this summer?" Write these answers down on a piece of paper and put it on the fridge (or anywhere else you will see it daily). This is one simple activity that can help you create a stress-free summer. Every few days, re-ask yourself the same questions. Did the answers change? Are you doing your favourite summer activity? Are you enjoying yourself? This is a great time for self-reflection. To add to this exercise, I challenge you to pick one summer activity to add into your daily routine. Here are some ideas. Remember, think 'simplicity':
Whatever you chose, start with a simple goal on how you can incorporate this into each day. For example, I am going to aim to walk everyday this summer for at least 30 minutes. This goal is tailored to me and may or may not be appropriate for you. Your goal must be specific, attainable, measurable, realistic and time-based for success. This means starting small and working your way up to something bigger after each small success. I have decided to dedicate this summer to full relaxation of my mind, body and soul. I hope you can as well. Evening if you are working, studying or volunteering, it is necessary to set time out of your day for self care. Your health and wellness is more important than your job or schooling. Some of us need to hear that! Good luck to you all. I hope your summer is enjoyable and relaxing. Thanks for reading. This is how we flourish. Abby Today, we are talking about one of the most essential micronutrients our body needs. Vitamin D is used in the body to absorb calcium and create strong healthy bones. There is scientific research providing evidence that Vitamin D can lower the risk of certain cancers, cardiovascular disease and multiple sclerosis. There are even more benefits to this vitamin that are still being researched. Here's why you should include more of it in your lifestyle.  You may know by now that you can get adequate levels of this micronutrient from the sun and being outdoors. Specifically, the UVB rays that the sun emits. Unfortunately, not all Canadians are going outside enough to receive any of the vitamin. Approximately 30% of Canadians are deficient in Vitamin D which could increase ones risk factors for osteoporosis, obesity, and decreased cognitive abilities. Spending a few moments outside each day can increase your body's ability to make Vitamin D. If you cannot attain this, try incorporating fortified dairy, plant-based products or other items on the shelf where Vitamin D actually gets added to the product. If neither of these options seems reasonable, a multivitamin could be beneficial to your wellbeing. Elders can benefit most from a Vitamin D supplement due to them spending less time in the sun and their increased risk for osteoporosis. Here if a fun fact, during the Spanish Influenza of 1918, nurses brought hospital patients out into the sunshine and saw a dramatic increase in symptoms. Those who were treated outdoors suffered less than those who did not get any outdoor time. The sun exposure encouraged healing throughout the body. The current research is debating on how much Vitamin D is needed for your body to see the most benefits. Some say 400 IU while others say 4000 IU. I was once on a vitamin program that recommended I take 6000-8000 IU of liquid Vitamin D per day. When I stuck to this regime, I always felt my best. I encourage you to read the research out there today on this topic. Now that it is summer time, I will be lessening my Vitamin D supplementation and increasing my time spent outdoors in the sun. Remember that sunscreen is important and each of us will respond differently to UV rays. As someone who is pale and freckly, it is important to gradually increase sun exposure with UV protection. It is also very important to remember those with increased melanin in the skin (the darker the skin colour, the more melanin in the skin) may have troubles absorbing Vitamin D from sun exposure and most experts would recommend a supplement to fix this issue. There are a number of others factors that can inhibit ones ability to absorb Vitamin D from the sun including, smog, clothing and sunscreen. There is no magic number for you to spend outside each day. I aim for at least one hour of sunshine per day but I usually go for a lot more. I love being warm in the sun. I hope you learned something today and will start to incorporate more Vitamin D friendly habits into your lifestyle. Whether it is sunshine, fortified food or supplements, it is important to keep this up throughout all seasons of the year. Thanks for reading everyone. This is how to flourish! References: https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-d/art-20363792 https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/nutrients/vitamin-d.html https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-624-x/2013001/article/11727-eng.htm  This is a topic I feel extremely passionate about sharing with all of you. This pandemic has given me ample time to focus on my love for plant medicine and the power of herbs in healing the body. The following article will explain my personal experience with herbal medicine along with announcing my new tea service. Since I was young, I have always been drawn to nature and natural healing practices. My family played a large part in my fascination with nature, especially my mother. She taught me to protect the earth. She taught me that we are equal to animals and plants and we should respect them all the same. I cannot thank my mom enough for this. I would not be exploring and enjoying nature everyday if it wasn't for her love for the natural world. This is what lead me to herbal medicine. Plant medicine is a rather large field of science which has been around since the beginning of time. The research says it actually predates human history. The first recorded use of plants as medicine was 2800 B.C. Starting in China, herbal medicine moved to Greece, Rome, India and most other settlements around the world. Since drugs cost money, many humans turned to herbs for their medicine instead of going to their doctor. Thankfully, the plants proved their benefits and are still being used and researched today. (cited from Thor Sturluson; BS in Biology, majoring in Botany, from the University of Maine and a masters degree in Zoology from the Open University in London.) I fell in love with plant medicine during my first year of college in the West Kootenays. This was a very stressful time in my life as I was trying to adapt to the college lifestyle. My body began to break down from the constant stress which resulted in unwanted cold sores throughout the school year. To me, this was horrifying. I found that NOTHING was working to heal them. I felt hopeless and embarrassed. Until one day, a friend of my fathers introduced me to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). I had always been interested in this topic so I figured to give it a shot. TCM is an ancient medical practice focusing on healing the mind and body. It is a combination of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage and other complementary practices. It turned out this herbal tincture one of his classmates made for cold sores actually worked. It was the only way I could prevent and heal them. I became extremely attached to this little bottle of herbs and carried it with me wherever I went. Little did I know, my lifestyle was playing the biggest part in creating these unwanted sores. I was convinced it could be healed topically when I really needed to understand the root cause... stress. I continued to use my magic bottle of herbs and still do to this day however, healing from this took major lifestyle changes (sleep, exercise, nutrition, hydration, stress etc.). My point is, I very much believe in herbal medicines ability to heal the body from ailments however, one must view the body as whole when looking to heal. Finding out the root cause of your issues instead of focusing on the symptoms is an important practice in all Alternative Medicine. Where your symptoms occur does not exactly mean there is an issue within that part of the body. It is usually a much larger, deeper cause such as stress, which it was for me. However, herbal medicine offers a great complimentary medicine to improve your overall wellbeing and health. I would recommend it to anyone who is struggling, no matter what the condition is. One of the easiest ways to bring herbal medicine into your life is through drinking herbal tea and infusions. The tea can be warm or cold and is sipped throughout the day to bring harmony back into the body. This is a simple way to enhance your overall health and wellbeing. Currently, I am at a point in my life where I have time to share my passion for herbal medicine by researching specific herbs, buying them and creating herbal teas for individuals. Herbal teas are such a great way to extract all the nutrients from the plant while soothing the mind, body and soul. So far, I have sent out over a dozen sample teas to friends and family who told me each of their individual symptoms within the body. Each individual receives an herbal blend that is unique to their needs. I like to call this my personalized herbal tea service. So today, I am officially announcing this service to everyone who is interested. Here is how this works:
*I AM CURRENTLY WAITING FOR ECO-FRIENDLY PACKAGING TO COME IN THROUGH THE MAIL SO I CAN PROVIDE LARGER QUANTITIES OF TEA FOR YOU. IF YOU PLACE AN ORDER WITH ME, YOU CAN WAIT FOR THE LARGER BAGS TO COME IN AND PAY THE SET PRICE... OR... I CAN GIVE YOU SMALLER SAMPLES BY DONATION* I am hoping the packaging will be in this week! This is a simple way for me to share my love for Alternative Medicine without having an in-person experience. I hope this interests some of you. I am excited to start this process! If you are struggling with money during this pandemic, you can always try to harvest your own herbs in your local area, dry them and create your own tea. This can be a bit more difficult as you have to identify specific plants, wash, hang and prepare them individually however, it is a great way to get outside of the house. If herbal tea is not your go to, I would love for you to find other ways you can include herbs in your lifestyle. This may be in a tincture, oil, powder or fresh into food and baking. Herbal medicine can often be found at your local natural or organic food stores! I encourage you to take advantage of supporting local businesses at this time. They need all the love we can provide them! Here are a few simple ways to include more herbal medicine in your life:
That is all today. Thank you so much for reading about my passion for herbal medicine. I hope to write more about this topic in the future. This is how we flourish! Abby  Self care is beautiful. Today, we are lucky to be living in a world where self care can be prioritized in most cases. It is unfortunate how health and wellbeing do not always come first for everyone. Recently, society is doing a great job at normalizing putting ourselves first. Let's keep this going.
Self care may be a new idea to you however, it is one of the most important habits for a life of longevity. Also, we must recognize that self care looks different for each of us. You can take care of yourself in a variety of ways and today I have 6 simple ideas for you to try to incorporate into your wellness routine. I try to practice self care as much as possible and I hope you can enjoy it as well. 6 SIMPLE SELF CARE IDEAS 1. SLOW DOWN YOUR MORNING I used to sleep in to the latest possible minute I could, to savour that feeling of being in bed. I would always eat breakfast on the go and had a hard time waking up in the mornings along with falling asleep at night. The pandemic has allowed me to realize, however your morning goes, this sets the tone for the rest of your day. Because of this, I have decided to take my mornings extra slow. No rushing. No stress. The first thing I do it turn on the kettle and meditate or journal while it boils. I then make my morning matcha and try to get fresh air without any screen time. This helps me stay balanced throughout the day. 2. FIND TIME FOR FRESH AIR This is extremely important to your wellbeing. Science shows that spending time outdoors benefits our physical and mental wellbeing. Even a small walk around the block can make a difference. I am inspired by this older man who lives in my neighbourhood. He does a lap around our block multiple times a day and admires the nature surrounding us. We should all follow his lead. If you cannot get outside, try bringing plants into your home for some indoor nature therapy. Green environments are rejuvenating. 3. DRINK ENOUGH H20 Ask yourself, how much water do I really drink throughout the day? If it is less than 8 cups (250 ml per cup), you need to amp up your water game. Hydration plays a major role in our bodies ability to function properly. I try to keep a large jar or cup of water near us at all times. This encourages us to always be drinking it. We recently received a Brita water filter and I have noticed a large difference in my overall wellbeing. It is important to know that not all tap water is filtered properly. It is very much worth it to use any type of filtration system. A cheap trick for this is to leave your water open on the counter to get rid of chlorine in the water system. 4. SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH LOVED ONES Whether it is online or in person, this matters the most. As humans we crave connection and social opportunities. The pandemic has made it more difficult to do this in person but I do believe it has increased online communication greatly. The people who are close to you would love to hear how you are doing, trust me. I know it can feel like there are 1 million people to keep up with at times but start with aiming for 1 person per day. That can be a text, snapchat, phone call or video chat. It is worth it. Share your love. 5. JOURNAL Journalling is a great tool to expand your thoughts and ideas. You can do this structured (goals; gratitude lists; mantras; etc) or unstructured (writing down whatever your feeling at that moment). Either way, it offers an opportunity for self reflection and care. Both types of journalling can be fun! Find out what works for you. I try to journal in the morning to create a to do list for each day. 6. MOVE YOUR BODY As I have said many times before, exercise is medicine. It is medicine to the physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. There are a variety of ways you can move your body without doing the usual fitness routines. I encourage you to try something new next time you exercise. Here are some fun movement ideas: dancing, yoga, tai chi, rebounding (trampoline), golfing, walking, hiking, balance boards, biking or swimming. I know it can be difficult to find the right type of physical activity your body is looking for however, I hope you can trust there is something out there for everyone! . . . Now take these ideas and make them your own. Try new things. Find a way to take care of yourself that you enjoy. This could include bubble baths, cooking, dancing, singing or gardening! I hope you enjoy the rest of your week. Happy Monday Everyone! This is how to flourish Abby  Hello everyone, today we are going to discuss what exactly the Lymphatic system is and why it is so essential to take care of. I know a lot of people do not understand what the lymphatic system does so I hope to clear that up today along with providing information on to keep it healthy. To start things off, we need to understand what the Immune system is and how it plays a role in our health. "Your immune system is a balanced network of cells and organs that work together to defend you against disease. It stops threats like bacteria or viruses from getting into your body. Think of it as a powerful "search and destroy" task force that sends out immune-cell forces to hunt down the unwanted intruders and get rid of them." (WebMD, Medical References, 2020) The Lymphatic system is a part of your Immune system. A system within the system. The immune system helps your body remember previous foreign invaders to provide you protection against them. This is what it looks like.  https://medlineplus.gov/images/immunesystem.png Since the Immune system protects you from disease, so does the Lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is compiled of lymph nodes and lymph vessels. There are around 600 lymph nodes within our bodies which will swell when there is infection. "The lymphatic or lymph system involves an extensive network of vessels that passes through almost all our tissues to allow for the movement of a fluid called lymph. Lymph circulates through the body in a similar way to blood". (MacGill & Luo, Medical News Today, 2018) The vessels within the Lymphatic system drain our body of lymph fluid into the nodes. There are around 600 lymph nodes within our bodies which will swell when there is infection. This is a build up of the lymph fluid within the system. This buildup occurs in several areas throughout the body where nodes are present... all 600 of them. This is where they are.  Mayo Clinic, 2020 The green areas on this diagram show where the lymph vessels and nodes are within our body. Since build up can occur with the presence of infection or disease, we must be able to move this lymphatic fluid to keep the circulation steady = no built up lymphatic fluid in the in lymphatic nodes.  Above, is a great infographic from Dr. David Jay. Now, you must be thinking, how do we move lymphatic fluid within our body? Well it turns out the easiest way to do this is... EXERCISE!!! Great, right? Any type of physical activity or exercise will help the body move it's lymphatic fluid. Here are a few other great ways to take care of this system by encouraging lymphatic flow.
Above are a variety of ways to keep the lymphatic system in good health which will in turn encourage a healthy Immune system as well. If you are interested in diving deeper into this topic, I really suggest following @thelymphaticmessage on Instagram. Her posts educate me daily! The Immune and Lymphatic systems are deeply connected in their abilities to influence each other's state of health. It is best to learn to take care of both by including small life changes into your routine that can encourage wellbeing. Once again, the best way to create a stronger defensive system in the body is to provide it with essential nutrients from our earth along with performing physical activity to our bodies. I do hope this information makes sense to you and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask me. I have not always been invested in my lymphatic system health yet once I became educated on its importance in our wellbeing, I couldn't stop learning more! This week, there is a Scorpio full moon on May 7, 2020. This is called the Flower full moon. It is also a supermoon. It should be seen as full for the days before and after. I hope you can catch a look! Full moons are a great time for goal setting, ritual baths, meditation, affirmations, mantas, de-cluttering etc. I also hope you enjoy the week to come. Thanks for reading! This is how we flourish Abby  Most of you know I have a slight plant obsession. This started when I took a summer job at the local greenhouse in my hometown a few summers ago. Now, wherever I live, my plants live with me. I have found out this is called "Indoor Nature Exposure" (INE) and is being used as a way of HEALTH PROMOTION. And since health promotion is one of my career goals, I thought I should do some research for you all to encourage you to fill your home with houseplants. When I first got into collecting greenery, I did not now of the effects plants have on your wellbeing. I have been a plant mama for over 3 years now and the benefits are endless. My partner recently wrote a research paper on the plants in our home and the mutually beneficial relationship with have with them. It was inspiring and influential in me writing this post. He read a book together called Plants as Persons by Matthew Hall. If you end up reading it, let me know. I have put time into finding quality research about plants to show you all why I am obsessed with them. Here are the 5 benefits to filling your home with houseplants.1. Plants can purify the air around you. This makes sense since plants use C02 and produce 02. One research study in Korea determined the air surrounded by indoor plants "had showed a continual decrease in the indoor concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during the entire observation period". Volatile organic compounds are gases emitted from certain solids or liquids that are common air pollutants with possible adverse health outcomes. Get that healthy air flow! (House-plant placement for indoor air purification and health benefits on asthmatics, Korean Society for Environmental Health and Toxicology, 2014). 2. Plants have the ability to increase your attention capacity. One study in Norway set out to discover how green foliage and flowers can positively influence your attention capacity in an office setting. One group of participants were placed in a room with 4 blooming plants while a control group was placed in a non-plant room. Attentional capacity was tested 3 separate times. The blooming plant group improved their performance 2 out 3 times. (Benefits of indoor plants on attention capacity in an office setting, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2011). 3. Plants can improve many aspects of your mental health. This is a common topic of interest within science today. Some psychological benefits presented by plants include decreased stress and associations with ill health. Another Norwegian study looked at employees skills related to the amount of plants surrounding them at work. They found "the number of indoor plants proximal to a worker's desk had small but statistically reliable associations with sick leave and productivity"! (Psychological Benefits of Indoor Plants in Workplaces: Putting Experimental Results into Context, Floriculture Production, 2007) 4. You get to experience a person-plant relationship. This may not be an experience everyone can attain. I do believe it takes practice and respect towards plants to earn their trust. One study in Denmark explored the person-plant relationships in an office space, concluding that indoor nature had a positive influence on individuals wellbeing. This included self esteem, mood, emotions and confidence. Why wouldn't you want to be friends with then? The office space in this study improved competitiveness and the social climate. (People-plant Relationships in an Office Workplace: Perceived Benefits for the Workplace and Employees, Floriculture, 2011). 6. Plants improve your overall well-being. The information above proves my point. A meta-analysis reviewed over 50 significant plant studies to conclude the main benefit of indoor nature exposure is increased positive feelings and decreased negative feelings within one's home. The authors extend into the body-mind connection of how plants can benefit us both physically and mentally. Having plants in your home is an effective way of improving your mental and physical health! (Effects of Indoor Plants on Self-Reported Perceptions: A Systemic Review. Sustainability, 2019). If that information doesn't convince you to go buy a new houseplant, I'm not sure what else will. I hope you soon treat yourself to a new plant that can brighten up your home space. It is never a bad idea to come home with something green to grow. Thank you for reading everyone. Soon I will write another post on specific plants that are easy to keep alive in your house. See you next Monday. Don't forget to sign up for the newsletter! This is how we flourish Abby Below are a few of our babies I had a photoshoot with the other day!  *I'm using this piece of writing as a personal reflection on my current experiences. * Today I want to talk about grief. To begin, let's start out with some definitions. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines grief as: deep and poignant distress caused by or as if by bereavement; a cause of such suffering; trouble or annoyance Dictionary.com defines grief as: keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss; sharp sorrow; painful regret Finally, let's look at the definition from MedicineNet.com: The normal process of reacting to a loss. The loss may be physical (such as a death), social (such as divorce), or occupational (such as a job). Emotional reactions of grief can include anger, guilt, anxiety, sadness, and despair. Physical reactions of grief can include sleeping problems, changes in appetite, physical problems, or illness. Now, let's analyze these conversations. Grief can be experienced in various ways by each individual. You may be more comfortable with one of those definitions than the other. That's okay. That is what I would like to bring up today, that grief is different for everybody and can come from a variety of causes. No matter what the situation was to cause the grief, each human reacts in their own unique way to handle this. And that is okay. After a very hard beginning to our year of 2020, my boyfriend and I lost his father to lung cancer. This was devastating. My heart broke into a million pieces. To see the person I love in so much pain did not make sense to me. It was not fair. I did not understand. I still don't. Why do we have to lose the people we love? As we tried to go on with our normal lives after missing weeks of school, this pandemic began to take its toll. Another reason to grieve. Our first 4 year Bachelor programs have come to a sudden halt. No more seeing friends everyday. No more work. No more social interaction. We are currently finishing our 4th week of isolation here in Burnaby and all I can say is that I feel okay. I feel very happy some days while others are tough. I know I am grieving. I see is through my sleeping patterns, energy levels and mood swings. I think people assume you can only grieve after a death but that is not the case. We can all grieve ANY distress or loss. You can't figure out why you are feeling so odd lately? Maybe you are grieving what you have loss. It's okay to be sad. It's okay to feel loss. It's okay to be confused. What we can't do now is ignore these feelings. We must acknowledge them. We as a society must understand that hiding our emotions only causes more emotional distress in the future. Many psychologists and scholars place grief into 5 or 6 stages. This is a normal, scientific way of categorizing our feelings. They are:
The point I am trying to get at is... GRIEVING IS NORMAL AND WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHEN IT IS HAPPENING. Continually throughout my life, I have seen family and friends pushing their emotions away, putting them to the back of their mind. Unfortunately, this only causes more issues in the future because of so many built up feelings. If you are feeling anything similar to how I am lately, I wanted to create an exercise for us to help heal ourselves. Here we go. SELF-HELP/GRIEF MEDITATION EXERCISE:
The more I see society pushing their feelings away, the more I realize we need to self medicate with meditation. A simple process we can start including into our daily routines. Research shows as little as 2-3 minutes of daily meditation can have a benefit to our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. I encourage you to try it! If meditation is not for you, that is okay. I ask you to practice deep breathing still. This respiratory practice has the ability to slow down our thoughts and lower stress levels. You could try the 5-6-8 breath. Inhale for a count of 5, pause for a count of 6 and exhale to a count of 8. Thank you for tuning in everyone. I hope you enjoy your Easter weekend. This is how we flourish.   Hi all, It has been awhile since I have had time to post on here however, with the current circumstances in Vancouver, I am finally finding time for this project. Today I want to talk to you about depression and it's connection to physical activity. I recently completed a project on this for my Developmental Psychopathology class at Douglas College which focuses on mental issues throughout the life span. This class really opened my eyes to the significance of childhood experiences on one's adulthood life. As a student in the Bachelors of Physical Education and Coaching at Douglas, I thought this was a perfect opportunity to bring awareness to the connections between Depression and Physical Activity in everyone. Throughout my school program, we are continuously learning the importance of creating young students who are confident with moving their body. Our goal is to have more people strive to be active for life, embracing their physical literacy. Physical Literacy is the "...motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life." - The International Physical Literacy Association, May 2014 By being physically literate, we are able to understand and control our emotions more effectively. Mental health is strongly connected to our physical activity levels. In my eyes, when someone is struggling with a mental health issue, one must look to physical activity as a complementary medicine. I could get into this in much more depth but I decided to keep this short and simple to understand today. Now the research I did in the literature review for my class is focused on children and youth (ages 5-17) so this may or may not be important for you to read. I have attached the file below. 
For those who would like to learn more about these connections between mental health and physical activity levels, here are some statistics about Canadians: More than three quarters (77.8%, or 20.1 million) of Canadian adults 18 and over and 90.7% of children and youth aged 5-17 years are not meeting the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines (2012-13, CHMS). Among Canadian adults, a higher number of obese adults report being depressed or having a mood disorder (11.0%) compared to overweight (7.0%) or normal weight (6.9%) adults Over 3.5 million (or 10%) Canadians aged one year and older use health services for mood and anxiety disorders annually (2011/12, CCDSS). One in 25 (4.0 %) Canadian adults aged 20 years and older have a mood and anxiety disorder co-morbid with at least one of the four major chronic diseases (2014, CCHS). Taken from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/how-healthy-canadians.html Now, there are a lot more alarming statistics out there regarding this topic but instead of using scare tactics to talk people into being active, I would rather tell you how depression connects to all of this.  HOW DOES PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LOWER DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS?This information is taken from the Mayo Clinic (2020). (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495)
In the paper I wrote, I discovered how physical activity creates opportunities to grow:
I hope this information can help some people out there. I know it can be difficult to deal with emotions at times but I am a strong believer that physical activity has the short-term and long-term abilities to heal ourselves. My goal here is to encourage everyone to take part in small amounts of physical activity throughout their day to enhance their mental wellbeing. I hope some people feel better after reading this. Thanks for reading everyone. Abby   I have always had this preconceived notion that by the time I finished college I would have my life figured out. To be honest, the more I continue my schooling, the more confused I get with what I want to do in this life. I know what I want my end goal to be but how fast do I need to get there? There are so many options and so much time.Do I need to settle down soon? What is the career I am looking into? Where do I want to live? Do I need to start a family? Who do I want to work with? Do I travel now? or do I wait until I have kids that have grown up and moved out? Isn't that in like 30 years? Questions like these have haunted me for awhile now. You know whenever you are introduced to an adult the first thing that comes out of there mouth seems to be, "What career are you going into?". I have analyzed my answers to this question over time. Sometimes I want to be a teacher, sometimes I want to have a yoga studio, other times I want to just travel. It's confusing. The truth is that times have changed since our parents generation has grown up. Traditionally, you went to school, you got a job, you get married and you have kids. And then what... are you stuck in that life forever? I am a young soon to be college graduate who wants to explore, learn and research life around the world. I have always envied my friends who knew exactly what they want to be. "I want to be a nurse, I want to teach elementary, I want to be a mom". I always felt excluded for not knowing exactly what I want to do for a career. I do know what I want. I want to be happy, to be loved, to be surrounded by nature and creativity. I want to help people. I want to have animals, a garden, a family. I want a simple life. I want to change the world. Sometimes I want to fast forward to being an old lady who just gardens all day. How do I do all of this? What I am realizing is that, we are young. We do not have to have our whole life figured out. We do not need to chose one career to stick to for life. We can switch careers whenever we want. This will all take time. I say this because as I am entering the world of teaching fitness, I continually ask myself if this is what I want to be doing? Do I like having to wake up at 5:30 AM to coach others to be fit without having time to focus on myself? Do I enjoy yoga more than weight lifting? What do I want to teach others? Do I have to follow someone else's rules? Can't I do this own my own? Should I open my own studio? That would mean I need to settle down somewhere and not move for awhile. Am I ready for that? Is that the best option? As you can tell, I am feeling confused lately. We we born on this earth to explore... We need to experience what makes us feel best. We need to be open to possibility and change. I can thank my boyfriend for helping me discover this. He is adventurous and willing to offer me challenges. We share this passion for helping others and discovering new cultures. What should we do? Where should we go? Who should we be? These questions will continue to be asked on our journeys. We can be confused together. We can figure life out as we go through these experiences together. I wrote this to help others in the world who are feeling the same as me lately. Life is full of ups and downs. Life is meant to ebb and flow. Life is meant to challenge you. This is me telling you to take those challenges. Follow your heart. Try new experiences. Don't play it safe. The world is ours and it is our time to explore. Let's be playful. Let's be courageous. Let's try new things. Let's open our hearts. I used this piece as a journal today. To get out some thoughts I have kept in for awhile. Thanks for listening.  You do not need to have your life figured out yet.
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Hi all!
How To Flourish has had lots of interest towards essential oils and natural healing lately, so I am going to present a giveaway on my Instagram page.
Through collecting many different brands of essential oils over the years, I have found the perfect blends for our wellness.
The first blend I will be giving away is a sleep/relaxation mixture to help others calm the mind, encourage a healthy nights rest and provide relaxation to the whole body. The ingredients are a magical mixture of Peppermint, Lavender, Lemon and Eucalyptus.
These oils have become very significant in helping myself feel present throughout tough times. Using them encourages you to notice what your body needs in certain times.
Sleep is a major issue of mine and without the use of essential oils, CBD and yoga, I would not have conquered this problem.
So one of my lucky followers will receive this giveaway as a gift from me. To hopefully encourage this person to research more into natural healing and holistic health.
You must:
Like the photo
Follow me on Instagram
Tag one friend who would also enjoy winning this giveaway
Below is a link to my Instagram page where you can enter the contest!
ENJOY!
Wednesday, January 30th is Bell Let's Talk day. If you are unsure of what this means, "Bell Let’s Talk is a wide-reaching, multi-year program designed to break the silence around mental illness and support mental health all across Canada". It is a great way to spread information about mental health and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illnesses.
"Bell will donate more towards mental health initiatives in Canada by contributing 5¢ for every applicable text, call, tweet, social media video view and use of our Facebook frame or Snapchat filter".
"The Bell Let's Talk Community Fund is focused on improving access to supports and services for people living with mental illness through local projects and grassroots organizations in communities all around Canada". (all quotes taken from (https://letstalk.bell.ca/en/).
At Douglas College, we are having a large event throughout our New Westminster Campus aiming to help students understand the importance of taking care of their mental health. Some people are unaffected by mental health issues but most know a family, friend or themselves who may be living with an illness.
We are finally in a world where talking about your mental health is not frowned upon. I am extremely thankful and blessed to be living in a generation with like minded individuals who are opening up regarding this topic.
Now, let's look at some Canadian statistics...
(Mental Health Commission of Canada (2013). Making the case for investing in mental health in Canada).
I chose to stop looking up more statistics since they continue to be negative numbers. The bolded statistics are the ones, as of right now, I believe to be very important and should be known to the public. By age 40, 50% of our population will have experienced a mental health issue and most of them will not have gone to their doctor. That one hit hard.
Going to a doctor regarding symptoms of your mental health is NOT EASY. However, it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT for ensuring you get proper treatment.
"Bell will donate more towards mental health initiatives in Canada by contributing 5¢ for every applicable text, call, tweet, social media video view and use of our Facebook frame or Snapchat filter".
"The Bell Let's Talk Community Fund is focused on improving access to supports and services for people living with mental illness through local projects and grassroots organizations in communities all around Canada". (all quotes taken from (https://letstalk.bell.ca/en/).
At Douglas College, we are having a large event throughout our New Westminster Campus aiming to help students understand the importance of taking care of their mental health. Some people are unaffected by mental health issues but most know a family, friend or themselves who may be living with an illness.
We are finally in a world where talking about your mental health is not frowned upon. I am extremely thankful and blessed to be living in a generation with like minded individuals who are opening up regarding this topic.
Now, let's look at some Canadian statistics...
(Mental Health Commission of Canada (2013). Making the case for investing in mental health in Canada).
- In any given year, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experience a mental health problem or illness.
- Mental illness affects people of all ages, education, income levels, and cultures.
- Approximately 8% of adults will experience major depression at some time in their lives.
- About 1% of Canadians will experience bipolar disorder (or “manic depression”).
- By age 40, about 50% of the population will have or have had a mental illness.
- Anxiety disorders affect 5% of the household population, causing mild to severe impairment.
- Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds and 16% among 25-44 year olds.
- Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women from adolescence to middle age.
- The mortality rate due to suicide among men is four times the rate among women.
- Almost one half (49%) of those who feel they have suffered from depression or anxiety have never gone to see a doctor about this problem.
- Stigma or discrimination attached to mental illnesses presents a serious barrier, not only to diagnosis and treatment but also to acceptance in the community.
- The total number of 12-19 year olds in Canada at risk for developing depression is a staggering 3.2 million.
- Mental illness is increasingly threatening the lives of our children; with Canada’s youth suicide rate the third highest in the industrialized world.
I chose to stop looking up more statistics since they continue to be negative numbers. The bolded statistics are the ones, as of right now, I believe to be very important and should be known to the public. By age 40, 50% of our population will have experienced a mental health issue and most of them will not have gone to their doctor. That one hit hard.
Going to a doctor regarding symptoms of your mental health is NOT EASY. However, it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT for ensuring you get proper treatment.
Reducing the stigma surrounding mental health is necessary for Canadians (and everyone else around the world) to feel more comfortable talking to a medical professional about the issue.
Everyday should be a day to open up about about our thoughts, feelings and symptoms, especially if they are negatively affecting our lives. Bell Let's Talk day donates to a good cause with every social media hashtag you use. Spread the word and share the news.
https://letstalk.bell.ca/en/bell-lets-talk-day
If you are experiencing problems with your mental health, here are a few easy tips to increase your mental well-being:
- Get outside. I cannot express this enough. Fresh air is medicine to our holistic bodies in many ways. The smell of the beach, the forest or the mountain air can provide an instant mood boost at any time of the day. Whenever I am feeling anxious or stressed out, I take a walk without technology and focus on how beautiful nature can be.
- Let go of your technology for at least an hour each day. In the past, I found myself obsessed with my cell phone. Whether it was always checking what others were up to or if I got enough likes on a photo or not. Now, I have lessened my overall weekly phone time to much less than I used too. When you're bored, instead of hoping on Instagram or Facebook, put it away and focus on the present moment. Bake some food, stretch, dance, walk, sing. Do anything you can to distract yourself from the temptations of scrolling mindlessly.
- Exercise daily. Getting your heart rate up has been proven in multiple studies to be an effective remedy for lessening the symptoms of mental health issues. Whether it is walking outdoors or weight lifting in a gymnasium, as long as your heart rate is increasing, you will receive the benefits. It can be difficult to work out every day, trust me, start with little bits physical activity such as walking, swimming, stair climbing or yoga. This will make a difference in your overall well-being, it is guaranteed.
- Focus on grounding your senses when stressed. When feeling overwhelmed, it can be easy to get lost in our surroundings. One of my favourite grounding exercises is the 5-4-3-2-1 technique. To begin, find 5 things around you that you can see, 4 things around you that you can touch, 3 things around that you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste. This can be extremely effective in bringing your mind back to the present moment. This calms my anxiety when I feel upset and offers a simple way of calming down your feelings.
- Breathe. Stretch out your body to find a comfortable position seated or laying down. Begin to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. An easy technique to use is the 4-7-8 breathing. Inhale for a count of 4, hold for a count of 7 and exhale for a count of 8. This can be difficult so feel free to bring the numbers down if necessary. Focus on expanding your ribs, lungs and stomach as open as you can.
- Eat colourful, nutritious foods. Are you getting your recommended daily amount of fruits and veggies? These food categories ensure we are getting enough vitamins and minerals in our body. There is new and upcoming research regarding vitamin deficiencies being related to anxiety and depression.
Thank you all for listening to me babble on about mental health. It is a very significant piece of my life right now and I hope to ensure everyone I meet knows they can talk about it openly. There is always someone willing to listen whether it is your family or a mental health hotline.
Please share the importance of Bell Let's Talk Day and help us reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.
https://letstalk.bell.ca/en/bell-lets-talk-day
CLICK THE LINK OR COPY INTO YOUR BROWSER.
All pictures where taken during my walk home last week in the rain.
*This is a brief introduction to the use of crystal healing and how it can benefit the body. This topic can be explained in much more depth so please take it lightly and do your own research if you need more information. The goal of this article is to bring awareness to this topic for my readers.*
The photo above is showing your Chakra Energy System. When I refer to energy in this article, please refer to this photo to lightly learn about each chakra. This information can also be researched more if you need it. Now for the good stuff.
Crystal healing has been a type of pseudoscience alternative therapy used for a variety of conditions known to the human body. Stemming from multiple ancient healing ideas, they offer a chance to rebalance the energy systems (Chakras) while connecting to the chakras of the body.
Throughout the use of these traditional healing practices, I notice many people feel the need to preach to me that they are fake. I don't care what others say to me since I know what works best for my body however this can be quite annoying. If you have something negative to say, please keep it to yourself. Maybe they are only working because of a placebo effect but at least someone is receiving benefits, right?
There is no straight scientific evidence stating that crystals directly heal humans, yet we see many spiritual healers and traditional therapists using this method to treat anxiety, depression, stomach ulcers, kidney function, alcoholism and many more ailments/diseases. Personally, I like to have scientific evidence to back up what I preach on here and there is data showing how crystals can give off and focus our energies. Research is up and coming about this topic, making it exciting to talk about.
I do know that I feel different when I carry or use my crystals throughout the day. I feel safer and more grounded in my energy. Whether this is the placebo effect or not, I will continue to use them as their beauty continues to amaze me.
One of the oldest medicines known to man is within the practice known as Ayurveda (meaning the knowledge of life and longevity). Stemming from Ancient India, this is the type of information I hope to pursue studies in throughout my life to be able to share with others. One of the main concepts is the mind and body are ONE. They are not separated and healing needs to be focussed on helping all dimensions of health.
For more information on Ayurveda, copy this link into your browser.
https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/ayurvedic-treatments#1
The photo above is showing your Chakra Energy System. When I refer to energy in this article, please refer to this photo to lightly learn about each chakra. This information can also be researched more if you need it. Now for the good stuff.
Crystal healing has been a type of pseudoscience alternative therapy used for a variety of conditions known to the human body. Stemming from multiple ancient healing ideas, they offer a chance to rebalance the energy systems (Chakras) while connecting to the chakras of the body.
Throughout the use of these traditional healing practices, I notice many people feel the need to preach to me that they are fake. I don't care what others say to me since I know what works best for my body however this can be quite annoying. If you have something negative to say, please keep it to yourself. Maybe they are only working because of a placebo effect but at least someone is receiving benefits, right?
There is no straight scientific evidence stating that crystals directly heal humans, yet we see many spiritual healers and traditional therapists using this method to treat anxiety, depression, stomach ulcers, kidney function, alcoholism and many more ailments/diseases. Personally, I like to have scientific evidence to back up what I preach on here and there is data showing how crystals can give off and focus our energies. Research is up and coming about this topic, making it exciting to talk about.
I do know that I feel different when I carry or use my crystals throughout the day. I feel safer and more grounded in my energy. Whether this is the placebo effect or not, I will continue to use them as their beauty continues to amaze me.
One of the oldest medicines known to man is within the practice known as Ayurveda (meaning the knowledge of life and longevity). Stemming from Ancient India, this is the type of information I hope to pursue studies in throughout my life to be able to share with others. One of the main concepts is the mind and body are ONE. They are not separated and healing needs to be focussed on helping all dimensions of health.
For more information on Ayurveda, copy this link into your browser.
https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/ayurvedic-treatments#1
I began collecting crystals as a child leading to learning about their potential health benefits throughout the years.
You can actually go to a crystal healer to get it performed on you, or do it on your own time. Below I will list a few ways of how you can use crystals.
Ways To Use Crystals:
- Placing them around the house for positive energy
- Placing them in your pockets or purse to carry the positivity with you
- Placing them around your yoga mat for a deeper practice
- Placing them near the window to allow for the sun and moon to charge them
- Using as decorations around your space
My personal favourite way of using crystal healing is through practicing yoga and meditation. You can feel your aura being affected by these rocks. It is an amazing practice to include into your daily routine.
Below are some popular crystals and their potential benefits for each.
Common crystals & their healing benefits:
- Jade: The crystal of love, also known as "dream stone". Aids with trustworthiness, peace, strength, fidelity, healing and protection. Aids in removing toxins from the body along with homeostasis. It harmonizes the heart chakra.
- Amethyst: The gem of fire carries the energy of fire, passion, creativity and spirituality. Also known as Nature's Tranquilizer, it calms and soothes the mind and body. It can boost the production of hormones and is related to their Third Eye chakra.
- Fluorite (Clear): The Genius Stone. It is a mental clarity stone, aiding with absorbing new information or gaining a new perspective on a situation. It can clear mental fog and quiet anxiety. This stone is related to the Crown chakra along with the Third Eye.
- Quartz: A master crystal healer. It is known to simulate the immune and circulatory systems, helping with energy flow. This can bring the body into balance and eliminate toxins. This can harmonize all chakras and bring a sense of purpose to the person who uses it.
- Rose Quartz: A crystal of unconditional love. It speaks largely to the Heart chakra and aids in proper functioning of the heart and circulatory system. This stone can aid in healing the female reproductive system in multiple ways. Rose quartz balances yin-yang energy and can increase harmony of the body.
- Opal: The eye stone. It inspires hope, love, luck and happiness. This can help calm the body, easing stress and depression. Aiding with racing minds, increasing protection, and increasing seductiveness. Opal can relate to all of the chakras because of the multiple colours it is displayed in. Opal can facilitate the letting go of negative energies.
Now, as a reminder, I am not a professional in this area of wellness. I have taken most of this information form www.crystalvaults.com. It is an amazing site that will help you learn about many specific stones. I recommend checking it out.
Also, stones can be represented in multiple ways and colours. This is just an overview of popular stones and what they can be used for. Please do your own research as well!
I am going to include a few photos at the end of my stones around the house. Please share with me if you have any favourite stones and why they help you.
Thank you for reading How To Flourish!
Abby
Hi friends.
Today I am going to talk about some important information regarding lower back pain. If you or anyone you know struggles with this, please read and share. :)
I can remember, back in early high school, when my back really started to become a problem for me. At first, we thought it was related to my menstrual cycle, however we then realized even when not menstruating, I felt the pain.
After going to the doctor, he said something along the lines of me having very slight scoliosis and also lordosis. I will explain these in an infographic below.
Today I am going to talk about some important information regarding lower back pain. If you or anyone you know struggles with this, please read and share. :)
I can remember, back in early high school, when my back really started to become a problem for me. At first, we thought it was related to my menstrual cycle, however we then realized even when not menstruating, I felt the pain.
After going to the doctor, he said something along the lines of me having very slight scoliosis and also lordosis. I will explain these in an infographic below.
https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/344032859017056278/
So, as we can see, this photo is a bit exaggerated of what most of us suffer from. Usually, I do not agree with using the word suffer but lower back pain can take over your life at some points. I remember not being able to sit at school for the full 6-8 hours because of the pain.
The main issue with this lower back pain is when it's time to fall asleep. Tossing and turning repeatedly makes it difficult for myself or anyone I am sleeping with to actually fall into a slumber.
After that doctor's visit, I was referred to a registered massage therapist in Fruitvale. Her techniques were very strong and healing. After about 2-3 years of massages (not continually), her and I both could not figure out why this pain was still occurring. One tip she gave me that really made a difference as to sleep with a large pillow, rolled up towel or blanket in between my legs. So now, I have a large body pillow on both sides of me when I am sleeping. This really takes the pressure off of my lower back but did not completely take the pain away.
I then enrolled into a Strength and Conditioning class at Okanagan College for my Human Kinetics Diploma to learn about the spine in various ways. This is where I really started to notice a difference in making my back feel better.
My professor's description was perfect. Think of your pelvis as a bowl, otherwise known as your pelvic bowl. Now, this bowl is full of water, if it is unbalanced either forward or back, the water will spill. So the aim is to keep your bowl balanced.
Now with having Lordosis, this meant my bowl as continually tipping forward, towards my feet. I would visualize the bowl, tuck my hips under and learned that this was the best posture for my body to hold.
Posture plays a significant role in any back pain. Remember being a kid when your mother would say, "Sit up straight!", well she was right. We need to fix our posture. In more scientific terms, we can refer to this pelvic bowl as anterior and posterior pelvic tilts.
The main issue with this lower back pain is when it's time to fall asleep. Tossing and turning repeatedly makes it difficult for myself or anyone I am sleeping with to actually fall into a slumber.
After that doctor's visit, I was referred to a registered massage therapist in Fruitvale. Her techniques were very strong and healing. After about 2-3 years of massages (not continually), her and I both could not figure out why this pain was still occurring. One tip she gave me that really made a difference as to sleep with a large pillow, rolled up towel or blanket in between my legs. So now, I have a large body pillow on both sides of me when I am sleeping. This really takes the pressure off of my lower back but did not completely take the pain away.
I then enrolled into a Strength and Conditioning class at Okanagan College for my Human Kinetics Diploma to learn about the spine in various ways. This is where I really started to notice a difference in making my back feel better.
My professor's description was perfect. Think of your pelvis as a bowl, otherwise known as your pelvic bowl. Now, this bowl is full of water, if it is unbalanced either forward or back, the water will spill. So the aim is to keep your bowl balanced.
Now with having Lordosis, this meant my bowl as continually tipping forward, towards my feet. I would visualize the bowl, tuck my hips under and learned that this was the best posture for my body to hold.
Posture plays a significant role in any back pain. Remember being a kid when your mother would say, "Sit up straight!", well she was right. We need to fix our posture. In more scientific terms, we can refer to this pelvic bowl as anterior and posterior pelvic tilts.
http://www.balancemyworld.co.uk/how-to-find-neutral-pelvis/
We as humans, have evolved to have a neutral pelvis but through many conditions we develop an anterior or posterior tilt. Relating back to the bowl, a neutral pelvis is a balanced pelvic bowl. Try this at home. Imagine tilting your bowl, or your pelvis forward, backward and then find neutral. It may feel weird at first if your back isn't used to this position but it makes a HUGE difference.
Once discovering this, I finally found proper posture and was working out the most I ever have so focusing on strengthening my core was a number 1 priority. After all of this, I would still at times feel some pain, which lead me to embrace the world of stretching.
If I could sum up everything I learned at O.C. in this article, I would, but it is too much detail to get into and some of you would get bored. Long story short, when we want to strengthen a muscle we bring its 2 points of attachment together. When we want to stretch a muscle, we take the attachments further apart. Think about this with your core. To strengthen, we crunch, to stretch, we expand our bellies.
Once discovering this, I finally found proper posture and was working out the most I ever have so focusing on strengthening my core was a number 1 priority. After all of this, I would still at times feel some pain, which lead me to embrace the world of stretching.
If I could sum up everything I learned at O.C. in this article, I would, but it is too much detail to get into and some of you would get bored. Long story short, when we want to strengthen a muscle we bring its 2 points of attachment together. When we want to stretch a muscle, we take the attachments further apart. Think about this with your core. To strengthen, we crunch, to stretch, we expand our bellies.
Why do you have lower back pain?
There are many reasons why you have accumulated this pain. It could be a spinal abnormality that was addressed above or maybe it is more muscle related. Along with the abnormalities, muscle tightness has contributed largely to this reoccurring pain. Through trial and error, and learning about the human body, I realize the pain is deeply connected to my overall hamstring tightness. I believe my tightness is from sitting often, exercising the legs often and not stretching enough.
It has been a year of consistent yoga and I have noticed a massive difference in my lower back pain and hamstring tightness. There are some photos below that include stretches to help with this. Along with hamstrings, having tight hip flexors, Quadratus Lumborum and Psoas muscles can contribute to this pain as well.
It has been a year of consistent yoga and I have noticed a massive difference in my lower back pain and hamstring tightness. There are some photos below that include stretches to help with this. Along with hamstrings, having tight hip flexors, Quadratus Lumborum and Psoas muscles can contribute to this pain as well.
https://humanmachine.wordpress.com/2007/06/22/the-psoas-muscles-and-abdominal-exercises-for-back-pain/
Stretching and strengthening these muscles can make a difference in your lower back pain. My best recommendation is to see your doctor, physiotherapist or massage therapist to get a proper diagnosis of what muscle imbalances you have. If you are super keen and interested in learning about your body, testing yourself out and finding the main issues, then go ahead with researching more about this topic.
Throughout the years of knowledge and experience, I can contribute my lower back pain to many different things. Each of us may be experiencing different abnormalities or imbalances. We are individual and this if an overview of my personal experience with back pain. I am going to go over some tips for helping these issues and I hope some of them can help you as well. If you have any ideas that I should include in my lifestyle, please let me know.
Throughout the years of knowledge and experience, I can contribute my lower back pain to many different things. Each of us may be experiencing different abnormalities or imbalances. We are individual and this if an overview of my personal experience with back pain. I am going to go over some tips for helping these issues and I hope some of them can help you as well. If you have any ideas that I should include in my lifestyle, please let me know.
Tips for relieving lower back pain:
- Strengthening your core. This is a necessity, I cannot express it's importance in relieving pain. Our bodies need balance and we may notice muscle imbalances in the form of pain. If you do not exercise regularly, I would advise starting out small with core building exercises such as a plank, pushups, toe touches. Then, work your way into balance and stabilization exercises. Many can be found online. Really focus on CONTRACTING the core muscles (bringing the points of attachment together). Do exercises daily. I will include a photo below of some ideas.
- Sleep with something in between your legs. This will hopefully make a large difference in your sleep. Personally, I need a large pillow or blanket in between them on each side of my body. You can try a rolled up beach towel or blanket. Place it in between the thighs for a release of your lower back tightness. You can also try placing something under your knees when sleeping on your back.
- Focus on your neutral pelvis. Especially when you are standing around. I notice pain often when I am waiting for the train, doing the dishes or just standing around. You can slightly bend your knees to relieve discomfort and really imagine the water not spilling out of your pelvic bowl. For more information, look above in the infographics.
- Seek out professional, medical help. A massage therapist will be able to pinpoint exactly what is wrong with your alignment. A chiropractor can also aid in your issues. There are many medical professionals who can provide many ways of relieving your pain and who doesn't want to go for a massage?
- Invest in natural pain relieving medicines. These can include 1) Tiger Balm: An amazing Traditional Chinese medicine from China that can easily replace chemical topicals. 2) Peppermint oil: Doctors are now believing that peppermint oil can be equivalent to taking 1000mg of Tylenol. I use it daily and have noticed it helps the best. 3) CBD. Whether your into marijuana or not, I always recommend others to try out CBD in oils, pills, balms or smokable form. CBD will not get you high (unless it is paired with THC) and will relieve many ailments in the body. It is especially known for helping pain, sleep, anxiety and appetite suppression.
- Stretch! Stretching helps everything in my opinion. Remember that when stretching a muscle, we want to take the points of attachment away from each other. Stretching should be uncomfortable to make a difference but not painful. I will include a variety of stretches below that can aid with your lower back pain. *Child's Pose (Balasana) is one of the most efficient stretches to relieve lower back pain. If you do not know what it looks like, the first photo of this article is child's pose. Beginning on your knees, bring your big toes together and your knees out wide or legs parallel together, begin to sit back into your heels bringing your upper body along the ground while extending your arms out in front of you. Let your body release into the ground.*
- Counteract the improper posture. By this, I mean if you struggle with a lower back sway, you will want to focus on contracting the core and tucking the hips under to find a neutral spine. If you have an upper hunch, focus on contracting the scapula (shoulder blades) an opening the chest muscles for a neutral spine. This feels like pure gold when you have pain!
Please let me know if you have any questions or ideas for me to try, I am always open to suggestions. Thank you for supporting How To Flourish.
Enjoy your day!
This is a post about tea. Whether you drink it or not, I have faith in it's ways of healing the body, mind and soul. Tea has always been one of my favourite preparations to drink, mainly because it is extracted from nature.
This post is going to contain my favourite kinds of tea and how they heal my body. Personally, I drink between 1-4 cups per day. I can thank tea for getting me through long school days over the years. Before I get into it, here is a brief history.
This post is going to contain my favourite kinds of tea and how they heal my body. Personally, I drink between 1-4 cups per day. I can thank tea for getting me through long school days over the years. Before I get into it, here is a brief history.
The History Of Tea
Tea drinkers have been around the globe for centuries, originating in China as early as 2000 BCE. It can be consumed for it's taste, nutritional benefits or traditional ritual purposes. Tea can be known for it's excellent source of antioxidants. Some tea offers the benefits of improved circulation, weight loss and may even prevent cancer (According to PhD Allison Hahn). There are a variety of teas in the world including green, black, red and oolong. The diversity around the world allows for tea to be prepared in a large amount of ways. This can include the boiling process or what each of us puts into the tea for flavour. Personally, I enjoy most of my tea black, but many countries add honey, sugar or milk.
These herbal creations are a staple in my lifestyle, I am unsure what I would do without them. Each tea has a different benefit which I will get into below...
These herbal creations are a staple in my lifestyle, I am unsure what I would do without them. Each tea has a different benefit which I will get into below...
My Favourite Types Of Tea
- Matcha (Green)
- Ginger
- Chamomile or Valerian or Lavender
- Black
- Peppermint
- Lemon
- Savoury teas
- Chai.
Tea, in general, according to the Tea Association Of The United States, can be known for it's great job in reducing free radicals. Free radicals are can cause damage to our bodies in differing ways. Antioxidants #1 job is to reduce the oxidation of free radicals, benefiting our health in multiple ways.
When drinking tea, be aware of the caffeine content. Herbal teas are usually naturally, caffeine free while oolong and black teas have the highest amount of this substance. You don't want to have black tea before bed, or chamomile in the morning.
Tea has always been something that makes me happy and it will continue to do so throughout my years. If you have any suggestions of tea for me to try, please let me know in the comments!
Thank you so much for reading How To Flourish and following me through this journey of self healing and love.
Don't forget to smile today.
*Most of the information in this article is cited from "Tea (beverage). By: Hahn, Allison, PhD, Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2018" or WedMD.com*
We have finally come to the end of 2018. This allows us for a fresh start into the new year. Realistically, you can start goals and lifestyle changes throughout any time of the year, however the occurrence of a new trip around the sun is always an exciting time to start fresh again.
The Christmas holidays can leave us feeling out of it, tired, lethargic, unhealthy and possibly stressed. I very much love spending time with my friends and family throughout this vacation but my body always feels terrible after it all. It can be difficult to say no to those around you.
This year I decided to do something different for myself. I didn't go on my usual 2 week bender of partying with my family and friends. I decided to grow up a bit. I was my family's designated driver on Christmas eve and Christmas. Also, I have been offering rides to many of my friends after the bar so I know they get home safe. I would rather stay sober and drive someone then let anyone get behind the wheel intoxicated. Plus, not being hungover the next day is the biggest pro.
Throughout this year I have realized, my body really does not like drinking and partying anymore. My stomach cannot handle the stress. At first I was angry about this since I could go out for 4 days in a row and not notice a thing. Now, the hangover is not worth it. I still allow myself to have fun and enjoy some drinks but ensure that before I fall asleep my stomach is full of food and lots of water. This makes the morning A LOT more tolerable.
Anyways... I want to write this post to encourage my friends and family to make some healthy lifestyle changes going into the new year. This post is going to contain some ideas for New Years Resolutions and tips to stay on track with your goals.
Setting goals is an extremely important part of making changes in your life. Whether that is physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual or environmental. We cannot stay the same forever. We as humans strive for change and were made to adapt to new circumstances.
We have a new year ahead of us.
A time for change.
A time for discovery.
A time to make a difference.
If you have been feeling unlike yourself lately, now is the time for you to flourish. I want to encourage you to change. Whether that is big or small. Make time for yourself. Take care of yourself. Stop the unhealthy habits.
Here are a few ideas of new year resolutions you could take on:
TIPS TO STICK TO YOUR RESOLUTIONS!
-Chose one MAJOR and one MINOR resolution to begin the year off not too complicated
-Write them down somewhere where you can see them every day
-Write down steps to achieving your goals (What do you need to do? How can you do it?)
-Reflect on your progress weekly by writing down what you did to achieve your goals
-Do not give up!
-Making mistakes is NORMAL AND HUMAN, embrace the challenge
Here are mine:
MY MAJOR GOAL: Allow yourself 10-15 minutes in the morning for self reflection through journalling and yoga. Drink your tea and use some essential oils
MY MINOR GOAL: To start playing the ukulele more.
Thank you everyone for listening to my thoughts about the new year. I hope this can help some of you accomplish new goals and become your truest self.
This is how to flourish.
The Christmas holidays can leave us feeling out of it, tired, lethargic, unhealthy and possibly stressed. I very much love spending time with my friends and family throughout this vacation but my body always feels terrible after it all. It can be difficult to say no to those around you.
This year I decided to do something different for myself. I didn't go on my usual 2 week bender of partying with my family and friends. I decided to grow up a bit. I was my family's designated driver on Christmas eve and Christmas. Also, I have been offering rides to many of my friends after the bar so I know they get home safe. I would rather stay sober and drive someone then let anyone get behind the wheel intoxicated. Plus, not being hungover the next day is the biggest pro.
Throughout this year I have realized, my body really does not like drinking and partying anymore. My stomach cannot handle the stress. At first I was angry about this since I could go out for 4 days in a row and not notice a thing. Now, the hangover is not worth it. I still allow myself to have fun and enjoy some drinks but ensure that before I fall asleep my stomach is full of food and lots of water. This makes the morning A LOT more tolerable.
Anyways... I want to write this post to encourage my friends and family to make some healthy lifestyle changes going into the new year. This post is going to contain some ideas for New Years Resolutions and tips to stay on track with your goals.
Setting goals is an extremely important part of making changes in your life. Whether that is physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual or environmental. We cannot stay the same forever. We as humans strive for change and were made to adapt to new circumstances.
We have a new year ahead of us.
A time for change.
A time for discovery.
A time to make a difference.
If you have been feeling unlike yourself lately, now is the time for you to flourish. I want to encourage you to change. Whether that is big or small. Make time for yourself. Take care of yourself. Stop the unhealthy habits.
Here are a few ideas of new year resolutions you could take on:
- Make more time for self care. This can get more specific as well, such as a face mask once a week or a cup of tea before bed each night. Personally, my favourite way of self care is to exercise daily to get the endorphins running.
- Stretch before bed. I know I am not the only one who suffers from insomnia and now I swear that yoga before bed puts me into some sort of sleep hypnosis. My eyes slowly close and my breathing rate decreases, encouraging a healthy rest.
- Start saying "NO" more often. You don't have to go to every social event you are invited too. You don't have to do anything.
- Increase your positive self talk. Make a list of things you love about yourself. YOU ARE AWESOME. Embrace your uniqueness! Who cares what people think?
- Look into a new hobby. Last year I took on embroidery and I am unsure what this new one will be. Lately, I have noticed that I am not as creative as I was in high school so I would like to get back into drawing and painting.
- Get rid of negative relationships. If holding a relationship with someone is making you feel emotionally exhausted, find out why. Either fix the problem or ditch the friendship. It is OKAY to not connect with everyone.
- EXERCISE. I will never stop recognizing the importance of physical activity in the maintenance of your holistic health. Here are some specific exercise related goals: walk everyday, try a new exercise class, stretch everyday!
- Drink more water. Nobody drinks enough.
- Get rid of old stuff. Minimalism is a great encourager for a positive mindset. The less stuff you have, the more you can focus on the present.
- Stop and smell the flowers. Literally. Try it.
- Begin journalling. This is a simple technique to get rid of thoughts on your mind instead of holding them in. Sometimes my blog is like a journal to me, however I also have many at home to write down my feelings. Journalling allows yourself to be free from your feelings.
- Drink more tea. There is a type of tea for everything. Whether that is ginger for nausea or peppermint for a sore tummy. Maybe in the future I will write a post on my favourite herbal teas and how they can heal your body.
- Take your vitamins. Initially, you should find out from your doctor if you are having any nutritional deficiencies and base your vitamins on the tests. We can all benefit from daily vitamin intake. These can include Vitamin A, B, C, D, E, magnesium, iron, omega-3, etc.
- Have something green everyday. A handful of spinach or some green powder in your smoothie can make a difference.
- Stand up for what you believe in. Join a club, take a pledge, find out what makes your heart full.
- Go somewhere new. Whether it's in your region or a different country.
- Begin a new morning routine. I have chosen my main new years resolution to begin journalling in the morning along with some slow yoga flow. I am going to start a timer for 10 minutes every morning to get the day started off right.
- Become more mindful. Notice what you are saying to others and what you are thinking inside. Are your words hurtful? Are they empowering?
TIPS TO STICK TO YOUR RESOLUTIONS!
-Chose one MAJOR and one MINOR resolution to begin the year off not too complicated
-Write them down somewhere where you can see them every day
-Write down steps to achieving your goals (What do you need to do? How can you do it?)
-Reflect on your progress weekly by writing down what you did to achieve your goals
-Do not give up!
-Making mistakes is NORMAL AND HUMAN, embrace the challenge
Here are mine:
MY MAJOR GOAL: Allow yourself 10-15 minutes in the morning for self reflection through journalling and yoga. Drink your tea and use some essential oils
MY MINOR GOAL: To start playing the ukulele more.
Thank you everyone for listening to my thoughts about the new year. I hope this can help some of you accomplish new goals and become your truest self.
This is how to flourish.
Please share this post to decrease the stigma surrounding mental health.
This post is on the topic of anxiety. Recently, I took a course through my employment with Douglas College to get certified in Mental Health First Aid. It was incredibly eye opening, bringing awareness to many topics I had not considered before. When the topic of anxiety came about, I felt nervous to share my story but did anyways. I then found out I wasn't the only one it the room that had these feelings.
Our workshop leader, who is extremely passionate about the subject, engaged us in many differing tasks and activities to help the class understand mental illnesses. For the anxiety activity, we were placed into groups and told to come up with a sign or symptom of anxiety for every letter in the alphabet.
The alphabet has 26 works, we had four groups, meaning a total of over 100 words were brought to our attention regarding anxiety. These signs and symptoms are some of many various feelings one can experience. Anxiety is a part of being human. We must learn to accept it until it interferes with day-to-day living. When it takes over from letting you complete your day to day life, it can become a problem.
In this training, we were not taught to diagnose, but to notice lifestyle and behaviour changes in others. Those who are struggling with their mental health can give us signs that we may never catch on too. Now being certified in Mental Health First Aid, I feel even more confident in helping others find appropriate help.
*NOTICE: There are a variety of links in the blog post regarding mental health and the training I received. Since I have not found how to make them active yet, please copy and paste into your browser to view. *
Here is the first photo of the activity.
This post is on the topic of anxiety. Recently, I took a course through my employment with Douglas College to get certified in Mental Health First Aid. It was incredibly eye opening, bringing awareness to many topics I had not considered before. When the topic of anxiety came about, I felt nervous to share my story but did anyways. I then found out I wasn't the only one it the room that had these feelings.
Our workshop leader, who is extremely passionate about the subject, engaged us in many differing tasks and activities to help the class understand mental illnesses. For the anxiety activity, we were placed into groups and told to come up with a sign or symptom of anxiety for every letter in the alphabet.
The alphabet has 26 works, we had four groups, meaning a total of over 100 words were brought to our attention regarding anxiety. These signs and symptoms are some of many various feelings one can experience. Anxiety is a part of being human. We must learn to accept it until it interferes with day-to-day living. When it takes over from letting you complete your day to day life, it can become a problem.
In this training, we were not taught to diagnose, but to notice lifestyle and behaviour changes in others. Those who are struggling with their mental health can give us signs that we may never catch on too. Now being certified in Mental Health First Aid, I feel even more confident in helping others find appropriate help.
*NOTICE: There are a variety of links in the blog post regarding mental health and the training I received. Since I have not found how to make them active yet, please copy and paste into your browser to view. *
Here is the first photo of the activity.
This favourite words from this one are
-zoned out
-extremely scared
-fatigue
I can relate to many more of them as well. Did you know that all of these words can relate to the signs and symptoms of anxiety? Maybe some of them are new for you like they were for me.
Here is the second groups work.
-zoned out
-extremely scared
-fatigue
I can relate to many more of them as well. Did you know that all of these words can relate to the signs and symptoms of anxiety? Maybe some of them are new for you like they were for me.
Here is the second groups work.
The words that stood out for myself the most are procrastinates and irritation. I notice these traits within myself when I am extremely anxious or stressed about a certain situation.
Here is the third group's work.
Here is the third group's work.
Ah. Zombie like. We can all relate to this.
Here is the fourth group's work.
Here is the fourth group's work.
Personally, I feel oversensitive to most situations I am presented with. I have been told that I am over sensitive my whole life. The smallest things can affect me in very large ways and instead of being ashamed by my sensitivity, I am embracing it.
Overall, this activity was very intriguing to me and brought attention to our group what anxiety can look and feel like in others. Since it is a NORMAL reaction that the human body has adapted, it can be difficult at times to tell the difference between feeling anxious and having a mental health problem.
We were taught very well throughout the course to recognize that we are not taking this certification to diagnose others, but to notice behaviour changes. When the signs and symptoms are taking over one's ability to fulfill their daily life, it has become a problem.
If you, or anyone you know, are struggling with identifying if you have a mental health problem, I recommend seeing your family practitioner and doing online research of your own.
During a stress-less event at Douglas College, we had the counsellors come down and encourage students to take an online test regarding mental health problems and how we can help them.
Here is the website:
http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/
It is full of self help resources, personal stories and information from professionals to ensure your safety.
Knowing that you are not the only one who experiences anxiety, is a relief to those consumed by it. One lady in the course opened up about her GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder), as did I, and we both felt connected in knowing we were not alone.
The Mental Health First Aid course was delivered by the amazing and informative, Carla Abichahine who works for the CDA Training and Development. I would recommend this course to anyone in the workplace. Specifically, those who are working with youth and young adults throughout public education. The link below shows more information about the training from Carla. I cannot thank her enough!
http://cdatraining.ca/
Thanks for reading How To Flourish.
Overall, this activity was very intriguing to me and brought attention to our group what anxiety can look and feel like in others. Since it is a NORMAL reaction that the human body has adapted, it can be difficult at times to tell the difference between feeling anxious and having a mental health problem.
We were taught very well throughout the course to recognize that we are not taking this certification to diagnose others, but to notice behaviour changes. When the signs and symptoms are taking over one's ability to fulfill their daily life, it has become a problem.
If you, or anyone you know, are struggling with identifying if you have a mental health problem, I recommend seeing your family practitioner and doing online research of your own.
During a stress-less event at Douglas College, we had the counsellors come down and encourage students to take an online test regarding mental health problems and how we can help them.
Here is the website:
http://www.heretohelp.bc.ca/
It is full of self help resources, personal stories and information from professionals to ensure your safety.
Knowing that you are not the only one who experiences anxiety, is a relief to those consumed by it. One lady in the course opened up about her GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder), as did I, and we both felt connected in knowing we were not alone.
The Mental Health First Aid course was delivered by the amazing and informative, Carla Abichahine who works for the CDA Training and Development. I would recommend this course to anyone in the workplace. Specifically, those who are working with youth and young adults throughout public education. The link below shows more information about the training from Carla. I cannot thank her enough!
http://cdatraining.ca/
Thanks for reading How To Flourish.