Crisis Creates Opportunity

I don’t have to tell you how overwhelming the past year has been.  You have already lived through it personally.  But what I do want to tell you is that with every crisis comes massive opportunity! And I am thankful to have discovered an awesome opportunity amidst the chaos.

Often in our life, things happen that are not within our control.  But what is within our control is how we choose to think about the situation, and this ultimately affects how our bodies respond to the situation.  As Dr. William James, the father of American psychology said, “Humans can change the circumstances of their lives simply by altering the attitudes of their minds.”

As most of you already know, I have worked in the healthcare field for the past 20 years. First, as an Occupational Therapist working with children with special needs, and for the past 17 years as a Physician Assistant in Rheumatology treating adults with various forms of arthritis and autoimmune diseases. While I learned a lot in college and throughout my continuing medical education over the past two decades, I have learned even more firsthand from my patients.  And I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge over the past year from seeing what is currently happening in our world and within the medical field since the beginning of the pandemic.

I had been focused on helping my patients by trying to identify more diseases and prescribing more medications.  I believed that this was the way to help them, but now I have come to more fully understand that being “healthy” involves MUCH more than just going to the doctor regularly and taking your pharmaceutical drugs as prescribed.  Most people are already doing this, yet they are still sick and getting sicker every year.  The statistics speak for themselves – 60% of adults in the United States have at least one chronic disease, and 40% of those have two or more, 73.6% of adults in the United States are overweight and 42.5% of those are obese.  Chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability and highest drivers of our nation’s $3.8 trillion dollar annual health care costs (www.cdc.org).

I knew deep down in my heart that there had to be more than just pills and procedures to help people improve their health and overcome dis-ease.  So, in order to better help myself, my family, friends, and patients achieve a greater level of health, I sought out more training outside of traditional education on my own and became certified in nutrition, health coaching, and yoga.  Through this education and experience using more comprehensive and holistic tools, I learned an immense amount of new information about the fundamentals of human health and met the most brilliant doctors and health experts that opened my mind to different perspectives and taught me new strategies to promote true healing and overall wellness in both in myself and with my patients.  Through all of this I came to surprisingly discover that self-care is more important that healthcare!  The small actions that a person takes each and everyday in the way they “eat, drink, move, and think” is more powerful than a 20 minute doctor appointment every 6 months, or should I say, in today’s digital age, a 15 minute tele-visit on your smartphone.

Due to the pandemic, my medical office had to learn how to implement the new technology of Telemedicine in order to accommodate our patients.  This helped me learn much more about technology and the internet than I was previously unaware of.  Also, it inspired me to discover how I could merge my knowledge of Telemedicine with my patients at work with my personal home business in order to offer Zoom consultations.

So, where I am going with all of this?  Well, there comes a critical point in time when the threshold is reached for change and the crowd comes together to overcome the status quo and demand a better way – this is the CrowdPoint. And I am excited to say that I think we have all finally reached that point! Because of the pandemic and the massive amount of changes that have been imposed upon us over the past year, more and more people are becoming more and more aware of the massive threats to our health, freedom, and privacy that are being imposed upon us now largely due to technology and the superpowers of our government, Big Data, Big Tech, and Big Pharma.

This digital revolution began in the 1990’s with the invention of personal computers and the internet, and later with mobile phones, computing clouds, and social networking. This has totally transformed our work practices, and radically disrupted EVERY business sector, but especially in my field of healthcare. With the invention of wearable technology, implantable digital medical devices, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, robotics, voice activated assistants (such as Alexa and Siri), facial recognition, GPS, the internet of things, and the upcoming internet of bodies, we are moving into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.  This age will certainly provide us with more convenience and save us a lot of time, but it will naturally blur the boundaries between our physical, digital, and biological worlds.

Most people want the best of both worlds – the modern technology that offers us convenience and saves us time and money, as well as the ancient wisdom of natural world that forms the foundation of human health. Herein lies the dilemma - In this modern age we are all becoming more and more dependent on technology, yet we are less and less knowledgeable and conversive in it.  Unfortunately, this opens us up to increased security risks and cybercrimes such as: theft of credit card data, financial institution data, email fraud, extortion, and identity theft.  Cybercrime is now ranked as the largest area of crime in the world, costing the United States 1 trillion dollars in 2020, which is greater than all drug trafficking combined.  And with all of the new and coming technology to be used by more people soon, it is projected to cost the world 10.5 trillion by 2025!

The global economy has run on oil for hundreds of years, but now in this new digital age - DATA IS THE NEW OIL!  Everyday you are producing oil and it is being stolen from you (internet searches, email content, voice listening devices, smart devices – phones, TV, doorbell cameras, thermostats, door openers, security cameras, social media information, GPS/location services).  Many people are unaware that these data collection capabilities exist, and they are even more unaware that when they purchase these devices/services and connect them to the internet, they are signing away their rights to their own data and putting themselves at risk.  We are locking our doors and setting our security systems to protect our homes, but we are not protecting our own data and identity when we go on the internet or use devices that are connected to it which makes us extremely vulnerable to attacks. 

If data is the new oil, and oil is an extremely valuable resource to run our economy, imagine how valuable your personal data is to these big corporations.  We are being exploited without even knowing it! Big corporations are mining and selling our data and profiting off of the value that we bring to the marketplace while putting us at increased risk of cybercrime. And I hate to say it, but I think our regulatory agencies that are supposed to be protecting us are more concerned with protecting industry and private profits than the people and public health!

So, how can you take charge of your own identity?  How can you take ownership of your own private data in the new digital world? How can you become a trusted agent in an untrusted world? Well, I think I have found an answer from two amazing human beings - a doctor who I really trust and his good friend and former Army Ranger who is the founder of an amazing new company called CrowdPoint.

CrowdPoint is a brand new company with a brand new technology called the Blockchain and a refreshingly different new mindset to respect and value your personal data and protect it in a safe ecosystem.  They are on a mission to create a healthier commerce platform than the surveillance capitalism systems that currently exists in our world. This new platform will only display quality products to consumers who are really interested in them, without the middle men and without Big Data stealing your personal data – your most valuable asset. 

The dot com boom of the 90’s was HUGE, but most of us missed out on it because we did not know about it, or we simply did not understand it.  Well, now is your chance to join me and get involved in something even bigger and better - Blockchain. Blockchain will revolutionize the use of the internet! Think of it like a huge digital ledger that keeps record of transactions in the most secure way.  It will level the playing field for everyone to participate equally, decentralize the flow of money from the global elite, enable cryptocurrency to exist, create secure transparent transactions from source to finish, enable trusted smart contracts in real time, get rid of all the middle men to speed up transactions and save us a lot of time and money, and help us move from the current state of surveillance capitalism toward a true free market. 

I strongly believe that personal privacy, health freedom, and bodily sovereignty are fundamental human rights! I feel very strongly about helping protect those who cannot protect themselves.  I am so grateful to have found amazing servant leaders who are standing up to protect human rights and are doing such amazing work in this world that I feel compelled to help them on their mission. So, I invite you to join me and the CrowdPoint Technologies team to learn how to protect and defend your privacy and form a citizen army in this new digital age. 

With the help of CrowdPoint, I have chose to launch my business to the next level to become a distributor of health and wellness products that I believe in using a system of e-commerce that can also feel good about and help my friends, family, and clients as well.  There are also opportunities to become a reseller of health and wellness or cybersecurity products, technicians who want to help customers use CrowdPoint’s AI and Blockchain technology to protect their devices, and customers who want to defend and democratize their personal data, and of course, shoppers who are interested in purchasing high quality products on the various exchanges to support small businesses.   

Please click on the “contact” tab above to email me if you are interested.  I would love to talk to you more about how I can help you personally with the amazing tools of good nutrition, yoga, and health coaching to help you achieve optimal health to “Bloom” into your best!

Healthy Wishes,
Katrina Kemp

Happy Self-Care Day!

I’ll bet you didn’t know that today (July 24th) is International Self-Care Day? Now that you do, I encourage you to celebrate it by doing something today to take better care of yourself.

Perhaps there has never been a more important time in history for us to commit to taking better care of ourselves than now considering the current global pandemic.  Not only is there a novel coronavirus affecting us, but stress is at an all time high with all of the fear and confusion surrounding it, and we now know that stress is perhaps one of the biggest threats to our overall health. Unmanaged stress is often the most common start of disease, and the World Health Organization has called stress “the epidemic of the 21st century”.

Some of you are probably thinking, “Self-care - that sounds silly!”, but I am here to tell you it is not.  After overcoming my own health challenges, and working in healthcare for the past two decades, I have learned first-hand from my patients and personal experience that self-care truly is the missing ingredient from the recipe for optimal health and wellness.

Unfortunately, many of us (myself included) have been taught that we have to take care of everyone else and everything else before we take any time to care for ourselves.  We have jobs, children, husbands, wives, parents, pets, homes, yards, et cetera that demand a lot of our time and energy, and we want to do a good job in all areas of our lives.  This was my biggest struggle.  When I first heard about self-care I laughed, “Self-care – who has time for that?” I felt like it was a luxury I certainly did not have time for until retirement, but it is perhaps the best investment of your time for the highest return.  For example, studies show that people who take time to walk just 30 minutes daily live on average 10 years longer than those who do not.  Talk about a great return on your investment!

Another limiting belief that I had was, “Self-care – that’s selfish.” I felt guilty and irresponsible if I took time away from my family or my job; however, I quickly realized self-care is not selfish, it’s self-honoring.  It is about developing respect for yourself and realizing that you are worth it.  I quickly learned that the short amount of time I spent investing in self-care gave me a tremendous return of happiness and contentment.  I was kinder to my family and more patient with myself and others afterwards. The common quote, “You can’t pour from an empty cup” is certainly true!  Think of self-care as the ultimate way to fill up your cup so you can maintain enough reserve to give to others. 

Many people have also been indoctrinated with the idea that it is someone else’s job to take care of their health, “Self-care – I’ve got healthcare to take care of me.”  They are dependent upon health professionals and health systems and feel hopeless and powerless against their diagnoses and diseases.  A common misconception is that healthcare professionals can take care of your body better than you can, and prescription medications are much more powerful than your lifestyle choices.  Medication is definitely a helpful tool in many cases, but it is certainly not the only tool.  And you obviously take in much larger quantity of food and beverages than pills!  Although healthcare workers can certainly assist patients with improving their health, we can’t do it alone without their active participation, and prevention truly is the best medicine!

When it comes to emergencies and acute care, nothing is better than modern Western medicine, but we are failing miserably as a nation in treating chronic diseases!  It is estimated that over 50% of American adults have at least one chronic disease.  Why haven’t we yet found the “cure” for these chronic diseases (diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, cancer)?  It seems obvious to me that it is because chronic diseases largely develop from unhealthy lifestyle choices which is an area that modern medicine largely ignores.  Studies have shown that only 5-10% of the health challenges we face are genetically determined, while a whopping 90- 95% may be due to lifestyle!  To me this seems like a “no-brainer”.  We need to help people to make better lifestyle choices and provide a support system for them to succeed in doing so.

Unfortunately, most doctors have no training in nutrition, exercise, or stress management, and no skills for supporting behavior change in their patients, plus they are constrained by time and cost. We are 300 years into an antiquated and outdated medical model that the body is just a physical machine and we must simply force it into submission.  The only tools modern medicine has are prescription medications, shots, and surgeries.  The new story is the possibility that symptoms may not be the problem but rather the way the body is trying to communicate the message of an unbalanced, deficient, or toxic lifestyle and a desperate call for better self-care.  No one is exempt from the fundamental laws of nature and human health! Humans will never be healthy in an environment where they are nutritionally depleted, inactive, sleep deprived, overwhelmed with stress, overloaded with toxins, and unsupported by community, no matter how much medication they take.  It is imperative that we get back to the basics and teach these fundamentals first. 

So, what exactly is self-care and how do you do it?  Self-care is any action you take or intention you hold to improve your overall health, but it encompasses more than just physical acts you do for your body.  I like to break self-care down into 5 areas that include both actions and intentions.  Acts of self-care – something you do for your physical health.  Intentions of self-care – thinking, feeling, connecting, and being in alignment with your optimal health.  I have listed them below along with a few examples of basic activities to give you a better idea of how to practice self-care in each area. 

The 5 Areas of Self-Care:

1. Physical (Doing) – drink more water, eat more whole foods, make yourself a healthy homemade meal, prepare and portion your food ahead of time, pack healthy snacks when on-the-go, get more sleep, take a bath, enjoy a cup of hot tea, play your favorite music, go for a walk, take a yoga class, enjoy your favorite aromatherapy, plant a herb garden, rub lotion on your feet, put on your cozy socks, take your medication and supplements regularly

2. Mental (Thinking) – learn something new, read an article or book, watch an educational documentary, watch a stand-up comedy show, take personal development course, talk to a therapist or counselor, keep a journal

3. Emotional (Feeling) – acknowledge your feelings, tell people how you really feel, be patient and kind to yourself and others, forgive yourself and others, try to see another perspective, have compassion, let go of resentment, spend time with your pets

4. Social (Connecting) – talk to your family, call a friend, have family dinners on a regular basis, set up a group video meeting, ask for help, create a support system, set boundaries, join a book club, hire a health coach

5. Spiritual (Being) – schedule “down time”, get quiet, be alone with yourself, spend time in nature, sit under a tree, watch animals, smell the flowers, light a candle, meditate, pray

Your most intimate relationship in life is your relationship with your body. It is the only place you have to live. You must take personal responsibility for it.  You must seek out information on how to take better care of it.  We put our health in peril when we neglect it.  You cannot wait until something is broken to care for it.  Think about it - you change the air conditioning filter in your home and the oil filter in your car to take care of them, so don’t you think your body deserves the same preventative maintenance and self-care?

If you are currently healthy but worried about whether you may get sick and are feeling powerless, I invite you to take action.  I believe there is no greater form of activism than to practice good self-care.  To paraphrase one of my favorite leaders, Mahtma Gandhi, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” A better world really does start with a better you.  You can become an example and inspiration to those around you and provide them with strength and support.

During times of uncertainty, we must have a strong foundation to stabilize us and maintain our health.  We can find stability and comfort with our self-care habits and routines, and as we consistently take better care of ourselves, we build self-trust and resilience against stress.  What is your foundation?  Have you established self-care routines and habits to fortify yourself and build resilience?  Or have you allowed the stress to overwhelm your nervous system with fight, flight, or freeze mode.  Which one do you go to?  Do you get angry and find yourself picking fights with your family and friends?  Do you avoid your feelings and “numb out” (binge watching, scrolling through social media, drinking too much, overeating, shopping online)? Or are you paralyzed in fear and overcome with negative emotions (isolating yourself, staying in bed all day)?  Usually lack of self-care stems from lack of self-love.  As hard as it is, we must learn to move from victim mode of “Why is this happening to me?” to hero mode of “What am I learning from this?”  Instead of “Why Me?” you must shift your mindset to “Try me!”  This is how we turn our struggles into our strengths to become powerful and resilient.

Over the past six months, I have focused more on my own self-care and done the deepest personal development work than I have ever done before.  With the help of this amazing community of powerful and supportive people, I have developed a community project that I am excited to tell you about called Transform Healthcare with Self-care.  Through launching this project, I am standing for the possibility of health, happiness, and freedom for people with chronic illnesses.  The mission of my project is to educate, inspire, and empower people to end needless pain and suffering and regain their health through taking responsibility for it with better self-care.  To achieve this goal, I am creating a webinar called “Self-Care Made SIMPLE” to teach the six steps to achieve optimal health based on the best of both modern science and ancient wisdom of nature.  I am also creating a support group called the Self-Care Support Squad which will offer a variety of opportunities for participants get support and accountability.  We already have a few exciting ideas for programs including: a walking group, a book club, a cooking club, meal share program, a gardening team, “Self-Care Sunday Fun Day”, and instead of the “To-Do List”, make an “Un-Do List”.

I am currently requesting help from anyone who shares a common interest in this mission to help people overcome illnesses and improve the overall health of the nation. I need participation from people with chronic illnesses who want to improve their health and would benefit from the support of a community.  I would also like the assistance of other healthcare professionals that may have ideas to contribute or examples of personal or patient success stories.  I would even love the participation of anyone who may have friends or family members with chronic illnesses who want to learn how to better care for and support their loved ones and would benefit from caregiver support.

Instead of focusing on only treating illness, we can shift our focus to promoting wellness.  It simply requires changing the “I’ to “We”.  No one can do it alone, but together as community we are powerful and anything is possible.  Please click on the
CONTACT tab at the top of this page and email me if you are interested in helping to support me in my mission to Transform Healthcare with Self-care.

Happy Memorial Day!

Although most people associate Memorial Day with the unofficial start of summer, backyard barbecues, pool parties, and vacations, let us not forget the true reason for this sacred holiday. Memorial Day is much more than just an extra day off of work or school. It is a solemn day of remembrance for all of the men and women who died serving in the U.S. military fighting for our freedom. It is a day devoted to honoring the sacrifices that they made so that we may enjoy our present lives and liberties.

Recently, I learned a few new things about this holiday that I did not know and I wanted to share with you. Memorial Day was originally known as “Decoration Day” and started after the Civil War ended to honor the fallen Union and Confederate soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers, flags, and wreaths. The official name of the holiday did not legally change to Memorial Day until 1967. Although the first national celebration of Memorial Day took place on May 30, 1868 at Arlington National Cemetery, a historian at Yale (David W. Blight) tells a different story about its true origins. He traced the first celebration of Memorial Day to May 1, 1865 in Charleston, South Carolina, where a group of freed slaves gathered to commemorate the death of 257 union soldiers who had been buried in a mass grave in a Confederate prison camp. They dug up the bodies and worked for 2 weeks to give each of them a proper burial as gratitude for fighting for their freedom. Then they held a parade of 10,000 people led by 2,800 black children where they marched, sang, and celebrated.

Although we may be unable to gather in large groups with our friends and family this year to celebrate Memorial Day due to COVID-19, we can still take time to show gratitude for these heroes. Gratitude is not only a honor to others, but also a gift to give ourselves. Research has found a link between gratitude and reducing blood pressure, decreasing pain, improving mood, and increasing immune function. It shifts our perspective from what is missing in our lives to what we have to be thankful for. I invite you to take time to commemorate all of the fallen heroes this Memorial Day that made the ultimate sacrifice, as well as the beauty of your present life and all that you have to be thankful for. Even more importantly, I invite you to transform this mental exercise into physical action by living with a grateful attitude and expressing gratitude toward all of the people around you. I think John F. Kennedy said it best, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter the words, but to live by them.” May this quote inspire you to feel grateful for your freedom today and take action to continue to appreciate it and defend it as those who came before you so bravely did. Happy Memorial Day!

Healthy Wishes,
Katrina

"Pura Vida" from Costa Rica

This is a photo of my son, Aiden, and I outside of the Arenal Volcano at the Llomas del Volcan Resort in Fortuna, Costa Rica. 

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     This month I had the privilege of taking a Spring Break vacation with my family to Costa Rica.  We took a fully guided land tour for 9 days and 8 nights traveling across Costa Rica from San Jose to Fortuna, Guanacaste, and Manuel Antonio.  Although we booked the trip to enjoy a relaxing vacation, we ended up having quite an adventurous and educational experience that left us feeling quite grateful and humbled as we learned the motto of Costa Rica – “Pura Vida”.

     “Pura vida” is the characteristic phrase of Costa Rica.  In English, it simply translates as “pure life”, but to most Costa Ricans, its connotation is much more!  To them this phrase is more about living a “simple life” or “good life” with a deep appreciation for the things that really matter (like nature, health, family, and friends) to achieve well-being and happiness. 

     This phrase is used both as a greeting or a farewell, as an answer expressing that things are going well, and as a way of giving thanks or showing appreciation. In Costa Rica, this phrase goes well beyond its simple translation, it's truly a way of life!

     Costa Rica is a beautiful Central American country that proves that achieving high levels of human happiness has very little to do with GDP.  Just a few years ago, the “Happy Planet Index” ranked Costa Rica as the #1 country on its list, based on a score complied from life expectancy, ecological footprint, and the overall well-being of its citizens.  And today it is still considered one of the happiest places on earth. 

     After spending over a week getting to know the native men (“Ticos”) and women (“Ticas”) of Costa Rica, here are the top 5 reasons why I think Costa Ricans are so happy:

1.      They live in a tropical paradise.  Costa Rica has such a diverse landscape of beautiful beaches, tropical rainforests, and towering mountains.  The warm and welcoming weather encourages more outdoor activity.

2.      The eat a lot of healthy and fresh foods.  The typical meal of Costa Rica, known as “Gallo Pinto”, consists of fiber-rich beans and rice, large salads, and ample portions of fruits and vegetables.

3.      The have an attitude of gratitude and enjoy a slower pace of life. Like the sloths that inhabit the trees, most Costa Ricans live life at a slower pace and take time to appreciate the beauty of their environment.

4.      They love and protect their environment.  Costa Rica is truly a leader in ecological sustainability.  They have massive tree planting programs to convert land into forests, rather than the other way around like most other nations, and they are the first developing country aiming to be carbon neutral by 2021.

5.      Costa Rica has no army.  Although most of Central America is known for civil instability, Costa Rica has a stable democracy, and abolished its army in 1949.  Instead of spending large portions of its income on defense like the USA does, their government prefers to spend money funding education, health care, and agriculture.  

If you are looking for a great place to take a vacation, look no farther than Costa Rica.  It is truly a tropical paradise that will teach you how to appreciate and enjoy your life more.  If hope you get a chance to visit this amazing place one day to truly experience "Pura Vida" for yourself! In the meantime, at least try to live your life more like the Costa Ricans do to enjoy each day to the fullest.

P.S. – I have included a photograph above with the details of the tour we took with Caravan Tours, Inc. if you are interested. If you go, be sure to ask for the tour guide, Karol Rodriguez.

Healthy Wishes,
Katrina

Six Steps to Strengthen Self-Love

Well Valentine’s Day may be over, but our need for love is stronger than ever.  Over the past few years, I’ve been on a major journey of personal growth and development and one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is the importance of self-love. I will admit that I am a lover and a giver as well as a recovering perfectionist.  I give willingly and freely to all and rarely expect anything in return.  I am very critical on myself and push myself harder than I should. Although this may be good for my family, friends, employers, and the patients that I serve, unfortunately, this combination has been damaging to my personal health.  I used to give so much of myself to others that I had very little left to do anything for myself and inside I felt resentful and frustrated, while outside I suffered from weight gain, hair loss, thyroid problems, and infertility.  But luckily, I found yoga! Through the wisdom of yoga, I learned that I can’t pour from an empty cup and I learned to take care of me first.  I grew stronger both on and off of my mat and felt compelled to share this beautiful practice with other busy, stressed out, working Moms like me so I became a yoga teacher. One of my favorite topics to teach my students this time of year around Valentine’s Day is self-love; therefore, I developed my Six Steps to Strengthen Self-Love this month in hope that you can strengthen your self-love muscles as well.

Six Steps to Strengthen Self-Love:

1. Patience – Be patient with yourself.  Cut yourself a break when you mess up.  Everyone makes mistakes, but often great lessons come out of these occurrences if we look for them, but we usually miss the lesson because we are too busy beating ourselves up about it. Just forgive yourself and move on.  After all, mistakes are proof that you’re trying.
2. Permission – The best gift you can give yourself is permission to be happy every day.  Choose to focus on what’s right in your life rather than what’s wrong and you will actually feel better. Let go of the illusion of perfection. There is no such thing. “It doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.” – Suzanne Heyn. 
3. Positive Feedback – When you receive a compliment from someone, TAKE IT IN!  Instead of brushing it off, minimizing, or denying it, celebrate the compliment and REALLY RECEIVE IT! You deserve it!  Also, take time to not only take a compliment, but give yourself a compliment as well. Every time you look in the mirror, say something nice about yourself.
4. Pamper Yourself – Take time to schedule self-care into every day.  It can be as simple as having a cup of your favorite tea, lighting a candle, reading a book, taking a hot bath, enjoying the aromatherapy of essential oils, rubbing lotion on your hands and feet, listening to your favorite music or podcast, doing yoga, taking time to meditate, playing with your pet, going outside in nature, or watching the sunrise or sunset.
5. Plan Ahead – Plan ahead to avoid unnecessary stress.  Leave 5 minutes early on your morning commute to beat traffic.  Prep your meals ahead of time to ensure you have a healthy dinner ready when you get home from work instead of waiting in line at the drive-thru. Schedule time to exercise to maintain your energy throughout the week. It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret.
6. Purposeful – Be purposeful in your actions.  If you want to achieve a certain goal you must first start with the intention to do so.  Every morning when you awake, ask yourself, “what is one thing I could do today to move me closer to my goals?”, and just do it!  As Richard Leider says, “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.”

If you remember only one thing from this post, let it be the image I created above with my all-time favorite quote on this topic is by Katrina Mayer, “Loving yourself isn’t vanity, it’s sanity!”

Healthy Wishes,
Katrina

Daylight Saving Time Ends - Time to Fall Back!

Today marks the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST), which means we get to move the clocks back and gain one hour of time.  What an amazing gift, one extra hour of time in our day, to do whatever we choose!  Perhaps you may decide to sleep in later, or wake up early to start a new morning exercise program.  Whatever you decide to do, remember the quote above and don't let the time pass you by. Take deliberate action in the direction of your intention.

As I pondered the ritual of setting our clocks back, I realized that I did not know much about the history behind DST, so I did some research.  Here's a quick history lesson for you to impress your friends and family. 

Despite common misconception, Benjamin Franklin did not invent DST. Although he proposed the idea in 1784 of rising earlier in the morning and going to be earlier in the evening to save money on the cost of candles, an entymologist from New Zealand named George Hudson actually invented DST in 1895.  When Hudson first came up with the idea, he faced serious criticism from his peers, but eventually it was accepted by 70 countries across the world. Austria and Germany were the first countries to adopt DST during the time of World War I in April 1916, in an effort to conserve power needed to fuel the war.  The United States officially enacted DST on March 19, 1918.  In 1966 President Lyndon Johnson standardized the dates to begin on the last Sunday of April and end on the last Sunday of October, and President George W. Bush later signed the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to extend it to begin on the second Sunday of March and end on the first Sunday of November.   

Although we have attempted to better control time with our DST policies, it continues to quickly slip away from us all.  And the older I get, the faster time seems to go. It has brought me to the realization that the greatest gift we can give ourselves is TIME. Taking time to be fully present in every moment of your life truly is the key to enjoying it more.  So savor all of the seconds, minutes, and hours of your life, and the generous extra hour you have just received as Daylight Saving Time ends today. 

Healthy Wishes,
Katrina

Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day!  I hope that most of you are enjoying a relaxing and restful day off from work. Or perhaps you are one of the few people who are actually laboring on Labor Day.  Either way, I want to wish you a happy holiday and offer you a different perspective about the word “labor” and Labor Day.

According to dictionary.com, the word labor is defined as “work, especially hard physical work”, or “to work hard, make great effort”.  When most people talk about work, they usually express a negative attitude about it.  The have given this word a negative connotation and associate it with something they “have to do”, but I want to suggest that you think of labor in a positive way as something you should be grateful to do.

After all, it is only through the hard work and tireless labor of our ancestors that we get to enjoy the freedom we have today.  We achieve all of our greatest accomplishments in life with hard work. Just like a seed requires the pressure of the dirt in order to grow up into the sunlight and become part of the world, we also need work to help us build strength, character, self-esteem, and a greater appreciation for life.  Yes, all work requires effort which may be challenging, but as my favorite personal trainer says, "if it does not challenge you, it does not change you".

So, I encourage you to take pride in your ability to labor and work. Whatever type of work you may do, know that it is truly a gift to give. To be able to move our bodies to create and build things, exercise our minds to develop ideas and art, and provide services to help others allows us to grow into the best versions of ourselves.

The name, Labor Day, really is an oxymoron, isn't it?  We are given a day off from work in observance of the act of work.  The idea for this holiday was started by the labor movement in the late 19th century at the height of the Industrial Revolution when the Central Labor Union in New York requested a “workingmen’s holiday".  President Grover Cleveland eventually named " Labor Day" an official federal holiday in 1894, to pay tribute to the contributions and social and economic achievements of American workers. 

Presently, Labor Day is always observed on the first Monday in September.  For most Americans, Labor Day symbolizes the end of summer and is celebrated with outdoor parties, bar-b-ques, picnics, and athletic events.  Whatever you do this Labor Day, please try to take time to appreciate and celebrate all of the hard work that built the strength, prosperity, and freedom that we enjoy in America today, and continue to celebrate the labor that you can do to improve both yourself and your country.

Healthy Wishes,
Katrina

Happy 4th of July!

Greetings friends! Happy 4th of July!  As you may already know, on July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies claimed their independence and freedom from England to form the great United States of America. Hence, the name, Independence Day, for the 4th of July. It is certainly a very special day for our country, but should also be a very important day for each of us to reflect on what independence and freedom mean to us personally.  

Have you taken the time to truly think about what freedom and independence mean to you? To be free of disease?  To be free of excess body weight? To be free of mental and emotional stress?  To be free of financial debt? Well, you should think you how fortunate you are to live in this country where we do have the FREEDOM to make choices about our health and happiness! While it is not all free to us, we are free to decide how we will live our lives.  You have the independence to make these choices. Take time to think about what you want to be free of and how you are going to release it. 

Whatever you do to celebrate the holiday next week, I hope you take time to celebrate your own personal independence and freedom to look and feel your best! Start by making a healthy choice, perhaps with one of my new FREE healthy recipes of "Red, White, & Blueberry Smoothies" or "Red, White, & Blueberry Kabobs", or maybe by coming to one of yoga classes, or perhaps choosing to slim down for summer with a 30 day nutritional detox plan (just click on the links of my website for details).  As always, I look forward to helping you BLOOM into your best!

Healthy Wishes,
Katrina

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day! Today, most people associate Memorial Day with the unofficial start of summer and vacation time; however, historically, it was about honoring those soldiers who died fighting for our country’s freedom.  Memorial Day started after the Civil War in 1868.  It was a day traditionally spent visiting and decorating the graves of the fallen and honoring their families. Unfortunately, today many Americans have forgotten about this and take their freedom for granted. So today I encourage you to remember the origin of this special holiday and why we celebrate it.  Take some time to reflect and be thankful for what you have, and focus on what you can do to honor your freedom and our nation’s history.

Also, take time to appreciate how amazing it is to be able to remember your past.  I don’t think we spend enough time remembering all the things we have to be grateful for, including our memories!  In a time when the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease is rapidly increasing (currently affecting over 5 million Americans), we MUST appreciate the gift of our memories! 

When I remember something from my childhood, come across an old family photo, smell a nostalgic scent like crayons, or hear an old song on the radio, it is like receiving a present! Those memories are precious gifts that I get to open every time I encounter them and serve to remind me what I give value to in my life.

How about you? Are you taking time to remember and honor your past? Are you celebrating your happy memories or are you spending most of your brain power worrying about the future?  I encourage you to take time to observe your thoughts and acknowledge your memories.  Celebrate them as gifts and share them with others.  Perhaps even write them down to create your story for future generations to remember your legacy.

May we celebrate this Memorial Day by remembering those who sacrificed their lives for our country, our freedom, and may we honor them by recognizing the blessing of our own memories!

Healthy Wishes,
Katrina

Happy Mother's Day!

It goes without saying that being a mom is one of the toughest, but most rewarding jobs out there.  A mother constantly gives to her children and puts their needs before hers.  None of us would be here if not for our moms.  So let’s take today to give thanks for all of our mothers and the gift of life that they gave to us.  Let us also say “thank you” to ALL of the amazing moms out there who are doing a great job raising their children to make this world a better place.

I know that I am eternally thankful for my mom.  She dedicated her life to raising me and my brother.  She is the most selfless, strong, smart, and supportive woman I have ever met. I feel so blessed to be able to call her my mom.  Like Abraham Lincoln said, “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my mother.”

Ever year when Mother’s Day gets close, I find myself feeling nostalgic about my son’s birth and the day I became a mother.  I feel such appreciation for being given the gift of motherhood.  I want to remind all the moms out there to do the same - to be grateful for the job of fostering these little one’s growth and development, while also gaining a tremendous amount of knowledge and wisdom about life from the duties of motherhood.

It’s a good time to also remember that we don’t need to wait for a special day once a year to let our moms know how much we love them.  Take time to let them know you are thinking of them often and that you miss and love them always!  After all, when your children get older, you will want them to do the same. 

Although motherhood may be difficult at times, just hang in there and it will pay off in the end. Remember that being a full-time Mom is one of the highest salary jobs ever because the payment is the highest currency of all – PURE LOVE! 

I have also included a recipe for what I think is the perfect Mother’s Day breakfast – “Momelettes”. Just click on the "recipes" tab above or go to my website at www.bloomyogaandwellness.com/recipes to get the full recipe.

Happy Mother's Day!  I hope that your feel loved and appreciated today!

Healthy Wishes,
Katrina

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

In preparation for this upcoming weekend, I wish you a Happy Cinco de Mayo! I am embarrassed to admit it, but I just recently learned from my 11 year old son what this holiday really means.  I had wrongly thought that it was Mexico’s Independence Day, but Cinco de Mayo is actually a celebration of Mexico’s unlikely defeat over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. The Mexicans were poorly equipped and greatly outnumbered by the French, but still somehow managed to achieve victory.

We can learn a great lesson from this historical event! Cinco de Mayo really is a celebration of believing in the impossible!  Have you ever given up on something, or perhaps never even tried, because you thought you might fail?  Well, let today remind you of this great event in history and challenge you to try something new, push yourself beyond your limits, and achieve the seemingly impossible. As Michael Jordan said, “Don’t be afraid to fail.  Be afraid NOT to try.”

I welcome you to join me for a Gentle Yoga class on Fridays from 10:00 - 11:00 am at Counterbalance Yoga in Brandon.  NO EXCUSES - Your first class is FREE!  See the schedule tab or contact me for more details!  Also, be sure to try my new recipe for Build Your Own Burrito Bowls, a perfect meal to celebrate Cinco de Mayo (see the recipes tab). 

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Lessons learned from a Dog

 I grew up with a family dog and always loved spending time with my four-legged friend. My dog’s name was Tasha and she was a golden retriever. She would sit with my brother and I on the dock behind our house as we fished in the canal, swim with us in our pool, pull us down the street on our roller skates, and accompany us on almost every family vacation I can remember. She was truly more like a sister to us than a dog.  She lived to be 14 years old and died when I was away at college. It was a tremendous loss to my family and I missed her dearly, but it did not make sense to get another dog while I was away at college. After graduation, I thought about getting a dog, but again rationalized that it was not practical due to my busy schedule.  

Then, I met my husband.  My husband NEVER had any pets growing up. He told me that he did not like dogs. When I asked him why, he told me that he was “attacked” by a large dog when he was a little boy. He denied that the dog really hurt him, but rather just jumped up on him and knocked him over. Now, I am sure that the dog was just trying to play with him, but that experience made a big impression on him and since then he has disliked and feared dogs. So, obviously when we got married and moved in together he said no when I asked him about getting another dog.

My son, Aiden, was born in 2005.  He too learned to love dogs because he stayed with my mother for his first 3 years of his life and she had 2 dogs. The little Yorkie, Smokie, would jump in his crib and sleep with him, while the larger golden retriever, Darby, would sleep on the ground beside his crib like a body guard. They would chase each other in my mom’s backyard, and often Aiden would get knocked over, as his father did when he was a boy, but he gained a totally different interpretation from it. It is amazing how the same situation in two little boys created drastically different experiences based on the way it was dealt with!

Aiden had been asking my husband if he could have a dog since he could talk. My husband always refused to even entertain the idea. Nevertheless, he would continue to ask my husband for a dog every year for his birthday and for Christmas, and would be consistently told “No way"! I am not sure what changed my husband’s mind, but this past Christmas 2016, when my son asked him for a dog, he actually said YES! Now, there were stipulations though – it had to be a small dog, that did not shed, did not require grooming, learned fast, and did not smell, lol! 

So, after much searching, we found our first family dog – Winnie.  Winnie is a mini black and tan short-haired dachshund. Although she was a Christmas gift for our son, Aiden, she has truly been a great gift to both my husband and I as well.  In the short 3 months that we have had her, she has taught us more about what matters most in life that any other self-help book I have read. Listed below are the top 5 lessons we learned from our dog:

1. Be present. Winnie lives for the moment.  Whether she is eating her food, chasing a lizard, or chewing on a bone, she is fully present while doing so.  She doesn’t hold grudges about past events, or act anxious about the future, but rather full engages and enjoys the present moment. This reminds me of one of my favorite quotes, “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” She has taught us to enjoy the "present" of the presence, of truly living in the moment!
2. Take time to be silly and play. Winnie has surely brought out our silly sides. We play hide and seek with her, chase lizards in the back yard, crawl on the floor with her looking for the balls she hides under the couch, baby talk to her, howl with her, and roll her over on her back and blow raspberries on her belly. As George Bernard Shaw said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” Winnie has certainly helped me to feel like a kid again!
3. Be loyal and protect the ones you love. Dogs are pack animals. They stick with their pack and work together for the greater good of the group. They are loyal to one another and defend their pack.  This is a great reminder for us to be more conscientious members of the human race.  Being a loyal and dependable parent, husband, wife, sibling, or friend can improve your life and the lives of others in many ways. 
4. Enjoy the journey. Winnie enjoys going for rides in the car.  Watching her stick her head out of the window and feel the wind on her fur and smell the fresh air as we travel, makes me realize how often we just get attached to the outcome or the destination and forget to enjoy the process. Be open to the possibilities and enjoy the journey!
5. Love conquers all.  Perhaps the greatest gift of all that Winnie has given us is unconditional love.  She wags her tail with excitement when she sees us, no matter what moods we are all in.  She always greets us with big kisses and squeals regardless of how much time we have been gone.  She instantly forgives us no matter how we behave.  Loving unconditionally is a perhaps one of the most difficult tasks a human can learn, but it would certainly make the world a better place if we all tried.

So, as you can see from the list above, our family has learned a lot from our dog. I hope this blog touches your heart and inspires you to do the same. And if you don’t have a dog, now maybe the time to finally say “Yes” and get one. They just may be your greatest teacher!

- Namaste, Katrina