A piece on my desire to save the planet day by day.
 
If only everybody understood this concept. We are blessed to live in such a beautiful world and it is unfortunate that we are losing more and more of it to garbage, global warming and pollution. This is a topic I am very passionate about. Nourishing our planet is essential for living on it. A lot of people ask “Why do you care so much” or say “You’re not going to change anything” which is tough to hear when Rachel & I are so enthusiastic about saving the planet. The truth is we can all contribute to making it a healthier, greener, less polluted place. In honor of Earth Day, I am writing this piece to portray to others the importance of being eco-friendly; We need to take care of our home.
 
Being eco-friendly is a lifestyle. It can be accomplished by various ways. It is focusing on contributing less to global warming, pollution, trash and contributing more to protecting our world. This can be done in many diverse ways.  One of my favourite sayings is “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago”, a Chinese proverb.
 
We are lucky to experience and live in some of natures most precious creations. If we don’t start acting now, we could lose them. Travelling to Europe in 2015 was an eye opening experience for myself in seeing all the trash placed outside of the main cities. Piles taller than I am accumulate on the sidewalks, I especially noticed this in Greece. If we don’t start now we may see the same issue here in British Columbia. 

Check out the photos below to see some trash in North America.
 
Going on the internet and searching this up is sad to see. A statistic from Science World states
“Did you know that cigarette butts are the number one most-found item in international coastal clean-ups? In fact, over 25 years of cleanups, approximately 25,907,756 cigarette butts have been collected by conservation volunteers. Second to cigarettes are food wrappers and containers and then plastic beverage bottles and plastic shopping bags.”
 
Tough to hear, right? Fortunately, we all have the opportunity to transform this. If we start teaching children at a young age to be more earth-friendly, we can build a smarter generation. We need to try harder. Littering is not cool. When I see someone litter or not recycling, I will always call them out. I do not support people contributing to more trash in our society. I try not to support restaurants who don’t understand this concept either. It can be troubling at times, but my goal is to raise awareness of how damaging our actions are.
 
Rachel and I just had a talk about how we don’t understand people who don’t contemplate this problem. Why aren’t people as worried as we are? Wouldn’t everybody want to live in a place that is trash-free so we can embrace as much nature as possible? This puzzled us. We asked ourselves, are we overreacting? But we aren’t. Something needs to change, we can’t take advantage of this planet any more. Communities need to step up and make a difference. Many of us are doing this well yet many people don’t care at all.
 
Below is a list of simple habits Rachel and I have adopted that you can engage in as well. The end goal is not to have 0 waste, just less. It is to notice where you are producing it most and deciding to change that. We aren’t asking much, just to be more conscious of how your actions have consequences to this earth.

1. Recycle. This is one of the most important pieces to the puzzle. Recycling is not difficult to do. Take your cans into the bottle depot. Separate your trash into what you can recycle (paper, plastic, tins, glass). Ask your boss or supervisor to be more plastic friendly. This is where we are lacking the most in Canada. People are throwing plastic and cans into our garbage cans, lakes, rivers, oceans and yards. This is NOT OKAY.
2. Invest in a reusable coffee mug. Stop buying disposable coffee cups. Travel mugs, jars and bottles are a simple yet effective way to lessen your waste. Bring your reusable mug to Starbucks next time you go or spend an extra $2 and buy one of their reusable cups.
3. Invest in a reusable water bottle. Discontinue buying plastic ones. Reusable water bottles are easy to carry and we are lucky in British Columbia to have easy access to fresh glacier water; take advantage of it. Did you know in some European countries there is no free water?
4. Invest in reusable straws, cutlery and dishes. This might sound silly to some of you but ending your use of plastic straws will make a huge difference. Plastic straws are a top contributor of waste in our oceans. They can hurt many animals as well. Reusable cutlery and dishes are easy to bring around and are available at many store today. We are always carrying a fork or spoon in our bags but would be even better to have is a spork like our friend Honor!
5. Start a compost. Instead of throwing away your fruit and vegetable waste, let it biodegrade into the ground. We use old protein containers and keep them under the sink until full then properly dispose of what we accumulate. Compost can contribute to a healthy soil for growing your own produce. You can start one in the ground, put all the pieces into your garden or throw them into nature for animals to feast on. Biodegradable stuff is the best.
6. Bring reusable grocery bags when you are shopping. Some stores already do a great job at this with providing only paper bags and boxes however plastic shopping bags are still a cultural norm in our society. They make you pay 5 cents for a plastic bag but most of the time this isn’t stopping anyone from getting them. Some places are making their bags out of recycled plastic which is great! Although they are still contributing to excess waste in our world.
7. Buy yourself a reusable menstrual cup. Tampons and pads are used daily all over the world and do not biodegrade easily. A Diva cup for example is $35 and will last you years. It is simple to use and makes a difference.
8. Try out a vegetarian or vegan diet. This isn’t for everyone which I understand, but the contribution that animal farms make to global warming is massive. This could also mean adding a couple meatless meals per week. Lessening your intake of meat and animal by-product foods can reduce your carbon footprint immensely. Mass scale agriculture is a climate killer. Of course I understand this may be unattainable for many of you and that is okay. To make a small difference, you could buy your meat and produce from local sources or hunt it/raise it yourself instead of supporting the meat industry. Markets and local farms are a great way to start. Below is a vegan infographic some of you may be interested in reading.
9. Lessen your water use. Take short showers, less baths, don’t leave the tap on when brushing your teeth. It all adds up.
10. If you enjoy drinking beer as much as we do, buy and fill a growler from your local brewery. It is much better than buying beer cans. Craft beer is delicious and filling a growler may be cheaper than getting the 8 pack in store.
11. If you see trash on the ground, pick it up, usually there will be a garbage can nearby that you can dispose of it into. Stop ignoring it.
12. Make your own beauty and cleaning products. We love to use essential oils and natural products to make into face washes, face lotions, toothpastes and deodorant. To clean our house, we use vinegar, essential oils (orange, eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree, lemon) and baking soda. These work wonders in cleaning our kitchen, bathrooms and floors and smell delightful.
13. Buy your clothes second hand and donate your old clothes to thrift stores. The fashion industry also plays a large role in excess waste and pollution. Focus on creating a closet with minimal, good quality items. We all have many clothes and it feels great to have only what you need and nothing more.
14. Look into attaining a minimalist lifestyle. Minimalism is the act of only owning necessary items, to create a less cluttered life. Minimalism is very connected to being eco-friendly. Focus on only keeping what you need. Give your extra belongings to those in need or reuse them into something more useful. Such as transforming old t-shirts into cleaning rags.
15. Stop throwing plastic and cans into fires. This is a huge pet peeve of mine. This happens often when camping, at parties or bbq’s. Start a trash or recycling bag instead. If I see you doing this, I will make a statement to you about how bad it is for our ozone layer. Don’t be a jerk.

 
These are several effective and valuable strategies in reducing your waste, pollution and contribution to global warming. I inspire all of you to look into this topic more and find out what else you can do to save the planet. And to the people who have already started making a difference... Thank you. It is individuals like you we need in our society to flourish.
 
Thanks so much for listening.
Happy Earth Day!
Be conscious of your actions.

A piece on moving your body and understanding you deserve a healthy one.
 
Movement is necessary in life.  I am a strong believer that it is vital for you to participate in moving your body in some way everyday.
 
This is a minor portion of the bigger picture. Throughout many years of experience with fitness I learn to embrace it more each day; I could speak about this topic for hours. I am trying to focus this article on the “overall” concept of moving your body without getting into tiny details. This is directed towards those who may be uncomfortable or unmotivated to take part in physical activity or those living with chronic illness (Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, osteoporosis, cancer etc).
 
For those who are already frequently engaging in movement, I hope to create a series for you on fitness including what you should be doing in the gym, proper nutrition/supplements and why you may not be seeing results, however that will come later. First.. this.
 
The human body is something I have always been intrigued to learn about. Thankfully that’s what the majority of my schooling is focused on. We get to explore how the body works in diverse ways; How movement makes it able to holistically thrive. Moving your body is good for your mind, your lungs, your hormones, your heart, your spirit and much more. The values of partaking in activity are significant in finding yourself. Finding what you like. Finding what makes your body feel best. You should be grateful of the possibilities we discover through leisurely movement of the human body.
 
Since I was young, I’ve always known that I want to help others. I wasn’t sure how until finding my passion for movement. My passion for encouraging everyone else to move. An objective of mine is for each of us to observe what our body likes and dislikes. What our body can handle. How we can make it stronger (physically, mentally, emotionally). I want you all to feel your greatest. We have endless opportunities to explore what our body is capable of; However this requires an inner drive to strive for success.
 
I had a mentor of mine ask me last weekend “What is the most important thing you have learned during your diploma?”. My answer to that was how important it is to engage in moving your body and how many people chose not to. Being active doesn’t limit yourself to treadmills and bikes; It is diverse. It is increasing your heart rate. Ranging from gardening, to cleaning, to walking the dog, to taking the stairs. It can be yoga, walking, swimming, dancing, karate, or sports. You have options.
 
A common saying many Kinesiologist’s live by is..
 
"EXERCISE IS MEDICINE."
 
You may not understand this concept although the scientific evidence is there. Being active aids in solving many issues within the body. An active, balanced healthy lifestyle presents you with the ability to overcome illness. Physical, mental, social and emotional. Moving expands your mind.
 
Raising your heart rate provides benefits to the whole body. This includes the opportunity to live a life full of longevity and self confidence. Movement can be spiritual. The mind-body connection lets us understand how intelligent our muscles are and how strong our mind is. If you aren’t sure what I am talking about when I relate movement to mindfulness, try going to a yoga class. An hour of only thinking about the way your body can move. How far your lungs can expand. How important it is to be mindful of your attitude. This feels great for the spirit. I promise you won’t feel upset after leaving a yoga class. Your emotions are uplifted and your mind is clear.
 
Not enough people are doing this. If you aren’t participating in physical activity your body can encounter COUNTLESS negative consequences (Chronic disease, premature death, disability, anxiety and depression, etc.). Our country is spending almost $7 million a year on issues that have the potential to be prevented and possibly solved. Human Kinetics has really opened my eyes to how important taking care of your body is. Movement is crucial for living.



BENEFITS OF BEING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE:
-decreased resting heart rate = healthy cardiovascular system = decreased risk of heart attack and stoke
-increased confidence and self esteem
-improved mood and concentration
-may increase posture and flexibility
-increased bone mineral density = less fractures and lower risk of osteoporosis (very important for adults)
-decreased fat mass and BMI
-stronger muscles and bones
-improved chances of living longer
-increased energy

Sounds appealing, right? The question I ask is, if people know they can live longer and healthier, why aren’t they wanting to move their body? Are we failing to inform individuals of these issues? I could go on about how our society is failing in creating and maintaining healthy lifestyles; that is another topic for another time. We are now in a time where people find it challenging to move but even more challenging to find the motivation to do so. Below are a few simple tips to include more wholesome body movement and less sedentary time in your day.

EASY WAYS TO BE ACTIVE:
-walk or bike to school/work instead of driving (also great for our environment)
-play with children or animals
-take the stairs instead of the elevator
-gardening
-invest in a standing keyboard for your desk job instead of having to sit all day
-clean your house often, pitter patter around, get those extra steps!
-take part in an exercise class or go to the gym

This is where my part comes in. I am currently taking my test to become a Group Fitness Exercise Leader with the CFES to be able to teach people their body’s full potential. I am so excited for this journey to begin as I aim to host my classes in outdoor settings to use nature’s natural antidepressant effects in combination with movement. A start to wholesome health. I have so many ideas to share with you all in my classes regarding strength, mindfulness and gratefulness.

On the other side, I understand it can be daunting for someone to walk into a gym without any experience but I am here to let you know that nobody is judging you. Everyone starts out a beginner. We were all at the point in our life; With practice and dedication you will one day walk into the gym with confidence. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Being a fitness professional, we are always here to help you.

If you do not feel comfortable participating in exercise, start with small amounts of physical activity. Learn what feels good for your body and embrace that. Remember that EXERCISE IS MEDICINE. Researchers are continually producing evidence on exercise decreasing the symptoms and prevalence of chronic disease, lower risks of obtaining illnesses and reducing obesity.

You only get one body for your entire life… TAKE CARE OF IT. Pushing your body through new challenges in movement is a gift to all of us. Use it as an antidepressant, use it to build courage, to be the best version of yourself. You have the opportunity to change the negative you have associated with your body. You deserve a healthy mind and body. We are extremely blessed to have functioning bodies accompanied with the ability to watch and contribute to their holistic growth.

 I want you all to learn what your body needs. Activity can ease your pain, physical or mental. Work on getting stronger, for yourself, nobody else. Try out new activities any chance you get. If it were up to me I would have everybody I know challenging their body daily. 30-60 minutes out of your entire day is a small dent in 24 hours, contributing to the right decision in the long run. We have failed in the past to educate people on the importance of staying physically active throughout life and my goal is to be apart of the revolution that is reversing that. As well as increasing the importance of the mind-body connection. We can all flourish in this area of wellness by stepping over excuses and uncovering our body’s full potential.

If you feel unmotivated, remember you are worthy of feeling the best and only have this lifetime to treat your body with respect and value it’s individuality. We are all meant to be different, why would we want to be the same? Throughout your own movement journey, aim not to compare yourself to others. This is what Human Kinetics has taught me. Movement allows me to expand my consciousness, overcome life’s barriers, and be fearless to challenges. Please consider how this can benefit your life.

I would not be where I am today without finding this passion in movement and the endless possibilities my body provides me with.

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Thanks for reading. Please leave me your thoughts or get in contact with me to learn more about this topic. Below I have included some interesting facts about sedentary lifestyles.
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In society today, sitting is the new smoking. Meaning more people are dying from sedentary lifestyles than those dying from tobacco-related illnesses (cancer etc). I could go into the numerous concerns of physical inactivity but today I chose instead to focus on the nourishing benefits of movement. You wouldn’t think our province has issues with being inactive considering our adventurous hearts but here are some discouraging statistics about how physically inactive some of us are.
 
STATISTICS FROM SCHOOL THAT BLEW MY MIND:
-Only 15% of adults and 7% of youth are meeting the weekly physical activity guidelines

- Grade 6-12 kids are spending 7 hours 48 minutes per day in front of screens

-The WHO (World Health Organization) reported in 2015 that physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor of global mortality, estimating 3.2 million deaths globally attributable to inactivity

- the economic impact of physical inactivity in Canada in terms of chronic disease, obesity and health care costs is estimated at CAD $6.8 billion per annum.

Although BC is in the higher range of being active compared to other provinces, we are still struggling.

 
 
 
 

 

​LIVING WITH NOT SUFFERING FROM ANXIETY
(I don’t like to say we are suffering from a mental illness but instead we should aim to deal with it appropriately.)
 
This can be a challenging topic for many people to discuss. The stigmas around mental illnesses are slowly diminishing in our society today although this has not always been the case. I want everyone to know they should not be ashamed of the uncontrollable mind. I know my generation can be more open than others and I hope this piece brings awareness to all ages of noticing their anxiety, realizing it is there and using it to become stronger.
First is a short version of my experience with this mental illness. Feel free to skip to the end to view my 10 tips to relieve your anxiety.
 
 
My story:

Anxiety has always been a part of my life even when I did not know it. Being anxious is a part of being human. Fortunately, I recognized and educated myself on the topic around the age of 16. Little did I know when I was younger that I had always experienced anxiety.

Being a child it was hard to understand. I didn’t know why I could never answer the phone or the door. I felt scared every time someone asked me to do either. I still do not open the door or answer the phone often, I feel it may always be a fear for me. I also could not understand why I felt so insecure around adults. I was very scared of people of authority and would usually burst into tears if I had to confront them. If I had to present in front of a class I would try to fake sick to get out of it. However, years have passed since then and thankfully I now know how to control these feelings.

Unfortunately, I had a lot of people tell me I was "worrying too much" or that I should "calm down" which at first made me very sad. I guess many don't understand what this can feel like. I believe we should all speak up about our thoughts. This can ease the feeling of being alone. I want you to understand you are not alone and other people do feel the same as you. (This is what I needed most when I first noticed my anxiety).

My point being is we all experience feeling anxious at times throughout life but where do we draw the line of it becoming an anxiety disorder?
 
What anxiety can feel like:
-a feeling of uneasiness and worry, usually generalized and unfocused as an overreaction to a situation that is only subjectively seen as menacing.
-an emotion characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil, often accompanied by nervous behavior
-anxiety is the expectation of future threat
-feelings of apprehension or dread, trouble concentrating, feeling tense or jumpy, anticipating the worst, irritability, restlessness, watching (and waiting) for signs (and occurrences) of danger, and, feeling like your mind's gone blank
 
*Being in school makes me want to cite everything I use from online*
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety#Choice_or_decision
 
What I experience:
-unable to fall asleep or stay asleep
-fear of losing my loved ones or everyone leaving me
-fear of failing
-restlessness
-blank staring into space (anxiety attack)
-weak immune system
-headaches and migraines
-confusion
-constant worry
-digestive issues
-procrastination
-overthinking (the worst one)
 
Things that give me anxiety:
-messy/cluttered spaces
-having to make decisions
-being late
-knowing I won’t be able to fall asleep
-letting someone down
-deciding what I want to eat at a restaurant
-when people don’t plan ahead
-when something doesn’t go as I planned it
-making plans
-when people have their volume high on their phone next to me
-being ignored
 
…This list could go on for awhile. Anxiety shows up differently in all individuals. Listed above are a few weird situations where I experience it. Some may feel the same or have no idea what I’m talking about and that’s okay. When it is happening so often that it begins to interfere with your daily life, something should be changed as that is when it can be considered an anxiety disorder.

For myself, it took a lot of courage to bring up to a medical professional how I had been feeling inside my mind. Your mind may be the only true place to keep your personal thoughts. Exposing that was not easy. I was afraid they wouldn't believe me. They offered advice but I found nothing worked. In October 2016, I had just moved to Penticton and had no family doctor here but needed something to be done about these anxious emotions. I went to a walk in clinic, told him how I felt and he told me I was experiencing anxiety and OCD. I got prescribed an antidepressant.
 
That’s how easy it is to get prescription medications today. He did not consider my holistic health in any way. I believe he took a shortcut. Many loved ones didn’t agree with this new medication although I decided to give it a chance. One friend of mine told me about her experience on antidepressants and how they never actually make your illness disappear, the thoughts will always be there, they just help to ease the feelings. I was upset this doctor didn’t question me more or view my interrelated health between the different systems of my body. Nevertheless, I still chose to give it a try.
 
A year and a half later and I do believe this prescription has helped me in many ways. I don’t stay up all night anymore, I don’t freak out when I see a mess in the kitchen, I know how to control my thoughts for the most part. This is not independently because of this medication. This is because I am using a holistic approach to healing myself. Focusing on all aspects of your body is crucial to overcome these challenges.
 
But some times all of that goes away and you want to stay in bed all day with the lights off. Relating to the philosophy of balance. Some days you will have it all together, you will be on the top, others you will be down. This is all a part of growing, so aim to not make it a negative part of your life but instead a small bump to try to overcome. There isn’t much you can do about what life throws at you but you can control the way you handle your anxiety. I will tell you it isn't easy but here are some of my habits I have been drawn to that help me flourish in this area.
 
                                *IDEAS TO HELP EASE ANXIETY*

(These are not in order of importance)

1. Recognizing the problem that is creating your anxiety. See if there is anything you can do to change or eliminate the stressor. If not, use it as power.
2. Deep breathing; this tool is very underestimated. But try out this sequence when feeling anxious

*Find a comfortable position sitting or standing
*Take a large breath in, expanding your belly, ribs and chest
*Pause
*Sigh out your exhale, releasing the negativity.
When I am acutely stressed, or in a stressful situation. This is my holy grail. Listen to your heart beat strong.
 
    3. Essential oils; Peppermint and Lavender are a necessity. Many studies have proven their relaxing and calming effects on the mind, body and spirit. They feel great on the temples, wrists and neck. 

    4. Being physically active; whether that is killing in the gym, walking through the forest or stretching on your mat. This is so important to living a balanced lifestyle. Get out there and get your heart rate up 

     5. Tea; a life saver no matter what time of the day 

     6. Getting some fresh air; Nature always works its magic. 15 minutes of sunshine works wonders. I really wish we had more sun in our winters here in BC. It would make a huge difference to many peoples lives. 

     7. Writing; Instead of bottling up your thoughts, learn to express them on paper or computer. A main reason of why I started this project. I don’t want to keep all these thoughts inside anymore. 

      8. Spend time off your cell phone; This can be hard for many but a lot of people don’t know their phone is their own stressor. Leave it alone for a couple hours everyday and even longer when feeling really anxious. Talk to your friend’s and family instead. 

      9. Spend time with your animals and loved ones; take them outside, pet them for hours (not your family), play with them. If you don’t have pets go to the SPCA or to a friend’s, they instantly cheer me up. 

     10. Smile! I cannot stress how important a smile is. Smile to yourself, to others on the street, to your dog. Forcing a little smile relieves stress.
 

A reminder that you may never fully eliminate anxiety although you do have the power to overcome it's symptoms. I encourage you to try these out, and would love to know if this piece of writing was appealing to you at all. Thank you for following me through this journey of growth.
 


Photo found on Pinterest and thought it was perfect for this topic. Retrieved from
https://themidnightstation.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/life-is-tough-quote.jpg
 
 
 
 

Why did I start this page? 

I have been contemplating for years whether or not to start a blog. Initially I was worried about what others would think but thankfully I am past that stage. People will always judge what I am doing. 

I want to share my knowledge with the world. Since graduating high school I would like to believe I have started the important journey of finding my true self. This took years. I felt lost for most, wondering what I would do in the future, where I would be. Fortunately, I have found one of my many passions. Holistic Health. This concept of "Holistic" views the human body as a whole instead of parts. Many issues can be solved holistically. Allowing one to look at all aspects of life to solve issues within.

Currently, I am about to graduate with a Human Kinetics Diploma. This schooling has contributed mass amounts of life changing knowledge. I have realized throughout these past 3 years of college there are many problems in our society that I can help solve. Ranging from obesity, physical illness and disease... to anxiety, depression and fixed mindsets. When I see someone in pain (physical or mental) I try eliminate the negatives in their life while bringing out the positives. 

Little changes make a big difference. Although many people disagree. I feel so passionate about so many varying topics I cannot wait to make a difference in this world. I want to be the best version of myself and encourage others to do the same. 

This page will allow myself to flourish even further by sharing my current techniques and skills of how to manage daily life and how to become yourself.

Thank you for listening. I hope to always make people smile.