Raise your hand if you are having trouble achieving any kind of real balance in your life right now!  I know you can't see it, but both of my hands are raised high!  Ever since Covid-19 hit, the world has been turned upside down.   Between the stress in the world, the feelings of insecurity about jobs and schools and worries about health, finding a state of inner balance might feel like it's impossible to find.  

I love the above quote and chose it because: 
A. It's true and it made me laugh!
B. It encourages us to give ourselves a break!

No matter how much intention we have to exercise, meditate, eat healthy, practice yoga, go for a hike, be present for our children and reach out to friends & family, we are not going to be perfect!!  So everyone repeat after me, "I DO NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT!"  In fact, that striving for perfection is in itself a state of imbalance. So take a deep breath and let's work together to try and find a way towards balance.  

There have been times during quarantine where I was meditating everyday and other's where I just couldn't  bring myself to do it.  Sometimes the weight of the world feels too heavy to push through.  In Chinese medicine, that feeling is called Qi (pronounced chee) stagnation.  Stagnation is a kind of 'stuck-ness' in the body and mind.  

Common symptoms of stagnation are: bloating, muscle tightness, jaw tension, irritability, depression, constipation, heavy tired feeling in the body, PMS and headaches.

Ever just feel stuck?  Usually when we feel stagnant, the best thing we can do to feel better is to get moving, which of course is the last thing that we feel like doing!  It's a dilemma.  When feeling this way though, the best way to start to come out of it is to name it; "I'm feeling stuck right now."  Then try to take one or two small actions to try to move that stagnation and start to feel better.  

Here are a few small steps towards getting unstuck:
1. Drink a few tall glasses of lemon water: lemon water is cleansing to the liver, which is the main organ that makes us feeling stagnant so adding it to your water can really help!
2. Move your body a little:  try a short walk, a few sit-ups or some stretching
3. Take some deep breaths:  no need to close your eyes and meditate, just remember to breath a little more deeply, even if you are zoning out and looking at Facebook:)
4. Take a break from refined sugar & other processed foods that make stagnation worse.

So the thing about stagnation is, that it commonly leads to another imbalance in Chinese medicine called Qi Deficiency.  Ever notice how exhausting stress and anxiety is?  That is why in the clinic I often see patients who are both 'tired & wired'!  It seems contradictory but when stress is revving high and our Qi is stagnant, it can quickly and easily lead to us becoming depleted and deficient.  So if you are feeling run down and exhausted, don't just run for the coffee.  Try some of these tips to actually nourish and replenish your Qi.

Tips for nourishing & tonifying deficiency:
1. Crawl into bed early and get some extra rest!  
2. Eat some warm and nourishing foods.  Even though it's summer, if you are feeling depleted, try eating some soup and other plant-based options, such as whole grains, healthy fats & lean protein sources.
3. Try a practice that builds and replenishes your energy such as yoga, meditation, Tai Chi or Qi Gong.  If you look on youtube there are plenty of free videos that you can try!

In future posts, we'll get more into this topic and delve into the five elements: FIRE, EARTH, METAL, WATER & WOOD and how the balance between these elements within our bodies is so important to our physical and emotional balance.  According to Chinese medicine, everything that exists in nature (such as these elements), also exists within our bodies, and so attuning ourselves with nature and the natural elements is one of the main keys to living a healthy, balanced life.

So my main suggestion to you in terms of finding balance, is to look to nature.  Take advantage of this time by spending it near the oceans, lakes and forests that we are blessed to have all around us.  Even just go walk barefoot in your yard, or take a blanket and hang out outside! Breathe it in and feel your mind relax and your body feel healthier!  

Take care of yourselves and take care of those around you!  See you soon:)

1. Just two weeks ago, I was complaining to my husband about feeling 'time poor'.  I was craving more time for yoga, meditation, down-time with the kids and with him, but was so busy that I wasn't sure how to find the time for everything I wanted to do!  Well, wow, look how quickly things have changed in just that short amount of time.  (Be careful what you wish for, haha!)

These times have suddenly become very different and there is a lot of stress, fear, worry and anxiety to be sure.  However, many of us have also been given the rare gift of time, and knowing that this is a short-lived window of our lives, I think we should make sure not to miss it!  Now can be a time to focus on your health, your self-care and some quality time with your loved ones, if we remember to slow down and make it a priority.  

Of course we understand that not everyone has been given this time.  Many, many people are working overtime in hospitals and many other essential services to help us battle this horrible pandemic.  But for those of us who need to step back and stay home, we should be grateful for their sacrifice, help out in anyway that we can, and take good care of ourselves and our loved ones in the meantime.

Below are some suggestions for using your time to fill in some of the blanks on your self-care and wellness: 

1. Start a meditation, deep breathing or mindfulness practice:  
Starting the day by centering your self, breathing and enjoying some quiet can really set the day right.  Especially if you find yourself in the position of being a homeschooling parent, feeling grounded and centered will be very helpful.  Try the insight timer app for free guided meditations.  This week, we've also created an EFT/Tapping meditation to help with anxiety relief that is posted below.
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​2. Spend time in nature:
Nature is healing and calming.  Getting away from the stress of the world, breathing the fresh air and moving your body can work wonders.  Now is your chance to find some nature trails and hikes near your home, just make sure they are not in busy or crowded locations.  You could also just walk right out your door and go for a walk around the neighborhood.  The added benefit here is that you can wave hello to your neighbors and feel a sense of real connection to your community.

3. Move your body! 
Exercise releases endorphins that help with stress and relieves pain.  Spending more time at home, can make the body and mind feel stagnant and this is the perfect way to get things moving again.  Do something you enjoy, whether it's jogging, walking, yoga, cycling, strength training etc.  Also, consider learning something new!  With so many great online platforms, if you've wanted to try a barre, pilates or zumba class, now is your time!  If you have kids at home, get them involved in doing a class online with you.  It's a great way to move your bodies and have fun together!

4. Reclaim your time by remembering to unplug:
We live in the most distracting culture, in the most distracted time in history!  Now with the COVID-19 pandemic occurring, many people's distraction online is even higher.  Social media can be uplifting, but it can also increase your anxiety and fear.  While it's important to know what's happening in the news, checking in too often can be harmful to your mental health.  Take time to walk away from the virtual world and be in the present moment without all of that stimulation.  It will feed your energy and your spirit more than you can imagine.

5. Try new recipes, drink more water and eat healthy!
When you are home for extended periods of time, the snacking can get out of hand (believe me, I know from experience!).  But this time at home can also be an opportunity to try new recipes, experiment making healthier homemade snacks with your kids,  keeping yourself hydrated and trying some immune boosting soups, teas etc.  We will be posting recipes and videos regularly with inspiring things to try.  One of the healthiest things you can make is a 'bone broth' soup.  Try slow cooking a broth and really get all of the micro-nutrients and immune enhancing benefits from it!  There are many great online recipes and on one of our recent blog posts as well!

​We truly miss seeing all of you in our clinic and can't wait until we can be together again!  Let us know how we can support your wellness during this challenging time.