Infuse Your Life With Action

Set your Intentions for the new year by writing down your intentions and placing them in a place you can see them daily or creating a vision board with your intentions for the year and being grateful for all that you already have. Place your vision board in a special prayer or meditation location and pray or meditate on your intentions daily. By being grateful for all you have and focusing on your gratitude, more will be added unto you. Focusing on the positive things in your life will bring in more of what you want. By focusing on the intentions for your life and what you want to create, you will manifest those things, if they are for your highest good. If they aren't for your highest good they most likely will fade away as your intentions and you will not be able to focus on them clearly and with purpose. 

Make it Happen...

Infuse your life with action. 
Don't wait for it to happen. 
Make it happen. 
Make your own future. 
Make your own hope.
Make your own love. 
And whatever your beliefs, honor your creator, not by passively waiting for grace to come down from upon high, but by doing what you can to make grace happen...yourself, right now, right down here on Earth. 

Bradley Whitford (actor)

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Here are more tips I received from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition~

Setting Intentions

Two friends are chatting about their diets. The first one says, “I want to be healthy and feel great.” The second one says, “I intend to be healthy and feel great.”

Which one do you think is going to get healthy and feel great? Yep—the one who intends it.

Wanting is simply wishing you can have or do a particular thing it. Intending means you’re committed to achieving something by making a plan for success—and sticking to it!

The Fuel for Desired Results

The key to intention is action – try this to build your intention muscle:

• Get clear on what you want. Create a vision board by gathering images and words that pertain to your goal, and gluing them onto a large piece of construction paper. Hang the collage in a spot where you’ll see it often. (Or, you can use an online service like Pinterest to create a digital vision board.)
• Do something to make your desire happen. Let’s say you want to eat four servings of vegetables a day. Your first action may be to go to a farmers’ market and purchase a few veggies you can cook for dinner.
• Celebrate your achievement! Don’t forget to congratulate yourself for meeting your goal.

How to Have a Great Day… Every Day!

Did you know that you can even set an intention to have a great day?

Rather than diving into your morning and hoping you’ll achieve your day’s big goal, why not take a moment and set yourself up for success?

Try this “Setting An Intention to Succeed” exercise used by professional athletes, speakers, politicians, and performers:

• Upon waking, lie in bed and think about what you have planned for your day (or, find a quiet spot to sit and contemplate).
• Think about your desired outcome. Take a deep breath and visualize yourself succeeding.
• Replay your success several times in your mind.
• Next, add other senses, including sounds, smells, and touch. For instance, as you replay your success, you now also hear the director offering you the gig, or you feel the physical sensation of your finger hitting the “send” button on your latest assignment.
• Lastly, replay the scene again, adding emotions. Feel your elation at getting the part, or your pride at finally finishing your work.

You can perform An Intention to Succeed, throughout the day as desired.

GET EVEN HEALTHIER!

Do you intend to lose weight, eat healthily, and feel fantastic? Set your intentions! Find an accountability partner and check in with each other weekly for 4-8 weeks (mark your calendar and set times to meet up for a walk or in person). Or you can join this Facebook group page I have created and find an accountability partner. Let us know how you are making your health and happiness a priority. Real health is a sustainable and realistic practice that we strive for every day.

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The Circle of Life

We gain energy by eating nurturing foods and drinking vibrant beverages that support our physical health. Even more critical to energy are the relationships we choose to engage in, career satisfaction, physical exercise, and fulfilling spiritual practice.

Look at this chart and mark a dot for each category. The closer you place your dot to the outside of the circle, the more fulfilled you are in that area. The closer to the center, the more dissatisfied you are. Connect your dots and see which areas of your life are creating energy and which areas may be draining energy.

I intend that you feel and believe in your dreams! You can co-create your existence with your higher power. Make it happen by setting your intentions today and taking action. Wake up every day and focus all of your energy on one aspect of your life on the Circle of Life. It is best to get that one aspect as close to in balance as you can before moving onto another area so you can maintain that lifestyle change. Make it sustainable and fun! I recommend printing out the circle and hanging it in your meditation spot,  in your kitchen or placing it on your prayer altar. By making small incremental changes, you will look back on 2019 as one of the best years of your life. 

Much love and creativity to you!

Heather Leigh

Office located @ 501 North Avenue, Norwalk, Iowa

515/689-2001

Call or text for individual health coaching over the phone, in person or for a therapeutic massage. I can help you be in harmony with yourself. 

Website: https://mmw.massagetherapy.com/

5 Health & Lifestyle Tips to Rock Your Year

Do you hate going to the doctor but love feeling great? Here are a few simple tips to keep your energy and immune system up this winter, all year and generally healthy and medication free for a lifetime. 


1. Six Major Supplements recommended by most health experts. I made hyperlinks for your further education and random information.

Our soil and food does not contain adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals. If you want to know for sure what you are lacking, here is what I recommend--

These are the average supplement recommendations that most functional medicine doctors would recommend but not necessarily the brand. If you want to make an appointment with the best functional medicine doctors in Des Moines they will have their nurse draw blood and send it away to do a thorough check on you. You will meet with the doctor a few weeks after the blood is drawn to discuss the results that come back from the lab. It is a wonderful way to learn more about your body and specific things going on with your health. It is not covered by most insurance but some people with insurance opt to use their HSA or flex spending account to cover the appointments and supplements which altogether can cost a minimum of about 3-5K for approximately 6-9 months of care. Otherwise, Viome is another option. They are running a $100 special through 1/1/19 (normally $300) to analyze your stool sample which you will mail in a special envelope they will mail you. That process could take up to a month or longer for the results; it is a nice option.

I have linked several of the supplements for your further education and reading pleasure. The D3/K2 is linked to Amazon and you can read the reviews to see what is being recommended and why.

In Iowa, a Campbell's or Natural Grocers staff nutritionist is a great place to consult about what is right for you and your options for supplements if you are not going the functional medicine route or Viome. I also have access to discounts on supplements through Nature's Sunshine and I have a wonderful health consultant I could recommend who can meet with you one on one with recommendations.
1. Vitamin C (get the highest quality you can afford and take it daily).
2. Magnesium (Natural Calm powder or Country Life Magnesium) at bedtime. Start out slowly with recommendations on the bottle and work your way up over a week or two. It will help your muscles remain relaxed and you will sleep like a baby! If you don't remember anything else I say, this is the one to never skip and have been taking for many years.
3. D3 with K2 included (if it's not already in your supplement). D3 is something we don't get enough of in Iowa and having K2 included is becoming the recommendation after much new research from doctors.
4. A good quality multivitamin. 
5. A probiotic at bedtime. Start out slowly with recommendations on the bottle. It helps to maintain the good bacteria in your gut and many other important functions. Most doctors will recommend one that is refrigerated but check with a nutritionist to see if what they would recommend for you.
6. Fish Oils. This is advice I have been hearing for about 20 years and now that I am a health coach, I have a better understanding of why it is extremely important!

Read the linked articles for more details. 

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2. Food Buzz

The hot news the last few years...
NO-NOs for anyone having random aches and pains (also known as inflammation) with no logical explanation. Also, many (including myself) have experienced a lifting of seasonal and environmental allergies after removing high inflammatory foods and beverages from the diet or greatly reducing. I had allergies all of my life up until the last two years. I was using a neti pot and meds daily. There are people whi have cured themselves of asthma as well. If you remove possible allergens and still have issues after removing these for a month, I would recommend going to a functional medicine doctor to be thoroughly examined. 
THE NO-NOs: Conventional Dairy, Conventional Meat, Gluten and refined or chemical substitute sugar or sweetener in processed foods and beverages like sodas and baked goodies. 
Also, alcoholic beverages have lots of sugar and beer has gluten. Many wines are high in sulfites which can trigger many different types of responses, including asthma.  Both wine and beer give me headaches and so I abstain for the most part. I may have a sip or a 1/4 of a glass every month or so. I would recommend abstaining from alcohol for a month and slowly adding it back in moderation to see how your body reacts before adding anything else back into your diet. I make my own Jun Tea and Kombucha which is a great way to have something with some energy if you like a fizzy drink. It's great to have a little in the morning or a cold brew coffee with stevia. I will write a whole other post about the cold brew coffee making process. It is very simple and cheap! Otherwise, you can buy it at the store in the juice section; they have nondairy options---check the sugar content.

If you have to go out to eat try going to places with gluten-free options or choose grilled veggies and meat. For sweets try a juice or smoothie bar and go for the least processed options.

To keep things simple--
Pick grass-fed beef (or butter) or hormone free chicken and eggs (free-range eggs, if possible) and pair it with an organic fruit or veggie. Most Hy-Vee stores (except maybe MLK and 42nd/Univ) in Des Moines have these options but you may have to check with an associate to find them. Sometimes they are near the conventional items or in a separate section of the store called, Health Market. Also, many Hy-vees have a nutritionist on staff, if you are interested. We also go to Fresh Thyme and Natural Grocers for special items we need.


If you like rice, pick wild rice or brown rice instead of bread.

Raw and organic nuts make a great snack!

For a sweet treat go for a frozen organic fruit paired with a little almond or coconut yogurt or Cocowhip (like Cool Whip but so much tastier!)

Go to the bottom of this section for recipes and other hacks. 

Canyon Bake House 7 Grain Bread--Gluten Free (In the Gluten Free freezer section at Hy-Vee and Natural Grocers)

We use unsweetened almond or coconut milk for our breakfast smoothie or cereal. For cereal, we use Bob's Red Mill or other Gluten Free Brands. I am learning that gluten-free doesn't always mean better but when  I really want a grilled cheese here is what I love:

Follow Your Heart is My FAVORITE vegan cheese. It works fine in sandwiches, lasagna or topped on casseroles. It seems to melt fine. It comes in slices plus other varieties besides mozzarella. 

Best power vegan breakfast with the same protein as an egg: A handful of frozen fruit, with 1/2 can of canned coconut milk in a blender with a little vanilla and stevia if you need sweet). Pour into a little glass bowl and add a tablespoon of chia seeds. Let sit overnight or 4 hours. (Chia seeds are great for B12 (max energy, lots of fiber plus magnesium!!! Chia is a great way to give your colon a facial. It's my new favorite thing.)

The bottom right is the end result. 

Slice along the seed. Best picked when slightly soft. Great for guacamole, sliced and topped on soups, salads, sandwiches, eggs or alone! 

Bone broth or any kind of broth with chicken breast, carrots, organic potatoes and Redmond's Real Salt plus any type of rice noodle is my go-to quick dinner. I make enough for a few days.  We use all sorts of spices and herbs as well. Be creative and experiment to see what you prefer. 

Almond Butter is my best friend. I use it in smoothies, sandwiches or plain on a banana or sliced organic apples. Honeycrisp and Fiji are two of my favorite apples. Most docs recommend using almond or cashew butter versus peanut butter which causes more inflammation plus conventional peanut butter is made with refined oils that can cause inflammation in the body.

Great for stir fries and cooking over easy eggs.

If you like avocados they are a wonderful source of vitamins and healthy fats

Sweetener we are using now. Let me know if you have another favorite. Refined sugar is best kept to a minimum. 

Truvia--a natural source of sweetener

I learned about Redmond's Real Salt from my doctor office. It has real minerals in it and some seasoning. I use about a teaspoon in my water to supplement my minerals and it helps me to hold onto my water so I don't just urinate it out. 

This is by far the best-tasting salt ever! I use it in all my recipes and on my food

Comes in a small size and larger refill sizes above at Hy-Vee or on-line (maybe even found at the health food store)

RECIPE HACKS

WHOLE 30 (read information on what Whole 30 is and you can even create a monthly meal plan for $30)

Here are some great places to look for vegan recipes:
https://bohobeautiful.life/videos/what-we-eat-in-a-day-%E2%99%A5-vegan-travel-eats-costa-rica/

Vegan plus Keto, Paleo, Vegetarian, Kid Friendly, Gluten Free--Dr Axe

Click=> PETA VEGAN RECIPES

Click=> Best Paleo Instant Pot (Lots of fish here). You can use a slow cooker or Dutch Oven if you don't have an Instant Pot.

We love roasting chopped, fresh or frozen broccoli (or whatever veggies you love) in the oven in baking dish on 400 degrees for about 30 mins with foil and then adding frozen (defrost first) Wild Caught Salmon and placing the foil back and cooking an additional 5-10 minutes.

Sometimes it is fun to buy grass-fed beef and organic potatoes to make burgers and fries. I cut my sweet or white potatoes into wedges and bake on 400 degrees for about 40 minutes with coconut oil and Redmond's Real Salt. Some folks love the air fryer to make fries.

Netflix also has a Paleo show called The Paleo Way. Paleo is gluten and dairy free with just natural sugars for sweet sources. It is a great lifestyle to learn more about. It is a lot like Keto but I believe Keto includes dairy.

Pinterest has tons of Paleo and Vegan recipes as well as YouTube.

Let me know if you need more information! I am happy to help.

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3. Sleep and rest
Seven to nine hours of sleep a night is recommended. Once your body is getting enough proper rest, supplements and nutrition most of your aches and pains will diminish unless you are overusing your body or something else is seriously happening. The body will heal and repair itself when possible. Your body repairs itself at night.

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4. Yoga

Many fitness trainers have switched to yoga for fitness to reduce stress on joints. Yoga is also a great way to detox the body and oxygenate the body and brain so we can function better. Here are a few great places to look on YouTube for Yoga:
https://www.youtube.com/user/cexercize/videos (yoga/pilates and vegan recipes)
https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene
There are many different fitness levels to choose from on YouTube, at studio classes, personal yoga instructors and gyms. There's even chair yoga for those unable to do regular yoga. You would be surprised at what is available.

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5. Meditation, Tai Chi or Qigong
There's a reason meditation is getting so much attention in the last 5 years. Doctors, counselors and other leading experts are recommending it to reduce chronic stress. Cortisol is a hormone that the body creates when it is stressed. It helps the body to flee from that bear or deal with other times of stress. Most of us have experienced car accidents or other traumas. Sometimes our bodies remain stuck in stress mode for all sorts of reasons and using regular meditation, yoga and other ancient methods like Tai Chi or Qigong moves us back into balance. Even just 5-15 minutes a day makes a huge difference. There are meditation phone apps and many local places to join a group to get started. It is a fun way to rediscover life and find new meaning in the world. If you need help finding a local group, let me know. I have meditated with several places in Des Moines, Iowa.

Also, some people like to use prayers or other mantras as a form of meditation. I have personally used Sanskrit mantras and even the Lord's Prayer as a way to clear my mind and connect with my higher power (a.k.a. source or God). 

Thank you for reading my list! May your year be shiny and bright! Again, let me know if you have any questions or if you need further tips. 

Much love and health,

Heather Leigh Brown

https://mmw.massagetherapy.com/

515/689-2001

Food Matters

Food Matters 

By Heather Leigh Brown
Licensed Massage Therapist, and Holistic Health Coach

As I was going through a stack of magazines for the vision board creation week we're having at The Soul's Garden in Norwalk, Iowa in January, this issue of Mindful magazine jumped out at me. (All photos are from the Mindful magazine, April 2015 issue.)

My intention is to inspire the public, my teenage sons and my clients about why food matters and how we can each get excited about how food can transform our minds, bodies, communities, and relationships. 

In 2011, my then husband and I, our two young sons plus our wide-eyed Golden Retriever embarked on an epic journey. We had decided we would travel the United States housesitting and volunteering on Organic Farms via the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. We had nothing to lose. Both of our parents had died. We had both had our share of health issues and complications. We wanted a better life for our family. It was hard work being on the road but we learned a lot and eventually, we came back to Iowa. 

The people I met and experiences we had are never far from my mind and heart. We learned about sustainable living and were deeply involved in the day to day operations on homesteads. The ripe smells of the farm animals, buzzing of bee boxes we worked with, fresh fruits and vegetables on our plates daily that we picked and I helped prepare were just a few of the essences we were steeped in. The daily weeding, digging, animal tending and building projects were a joy and also backbreaking at times. One night we woke to frightening sounds outside of Sacramento that we later learned were the peacocks in the trees near the olive tree farm we were volunteering on.

Upon coming home to Iowa in late 2012, my whole life was completely turned inside out. Attending professional massage therapy school in 2016 and then health coach studies through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition gave me a creative outlet and the education to share my expertise with others.

Studying anatomy, physiology, health and working as a licensed massage therapist the past 2 years has given me an intimate look at how the body operates as a whole. What prompted me to become a health coach was my desire to understand how what we eat, how we move and how we live affects our muscles, minds, and lives. People were coming to me to feel better. Massage therapy is a wonderful way to relax, heal and rejuvenate the body, mind, and spirit. Health coaching is about the person as a whole and finding balance in every aspect of our lives as individuals, communities, and families.

Why does food matter? Scientists and doctors are finding that food affects our moods, mental health, our guts, prevents disease in the body, cures disease in the body and it can bring us together in ways that are needed right now more than ever. There is a health crisis going on now because we hesitate to invest in food that can heal us and put money into the hands of family farmers who care deeply about us as a nation. It wasn't until everyone in my family had experienced a health crisis, I was hospitalized (and almost died) that I finally came to understand on a deep level that I must invest in my health in order to create a better life for myself and everyone around me.

What I'm doing now is creating a life around health and beauty. My massage office is a beautiful and healing place surrounded by trees and a small town away from the hustle and bustle of a fast-paced life. I am surrounded by others who care deeply about their lives, their families and community. We gather for healthy potluck meals, small group health coaching sessions, meditations, yoga, art and craft events, we set intentions and express our gratitude. We come from all backgrounds and religions. We're all learning from our own lives and experiences.

Food matters and so do you! May you take this opportunity to make small incremental changes to your life that add up to huge changes in your life.

Thank you for caring about your life, your family and your health.

Sincerely,

Heather Leigh

Office Located @ 501 North Avenue, Norwalk, Iowa 50211

https://mmw.massagetherapy.com/

515-689-2001