Laura With Holly on Martha

Here are the notes of Laura & Holly's Conversation on Martha Stewart's Radio Blog.

Today’s show is a CONVERSATION about self-care and how important it is to be at your best not just at the office but in your personal and home life, as well and how they are interconnected.

                                                                                                         Have a listen!

HOLLY:

So i thought today we’d kick it off with looking how we can use SELF-CARE and be at our healthiest best in all aspects of our life, because if your not happy at home you're not gonna be happy at the office and if you’re not happy at the office you’re not going to be happy at home.----

Holly Antiuk & Laura McDonald  

WHAT IS SELF-CARE?

Self-care includes any intentional actions you take to care for your physical, mental and emotional health. Good self care can be challenging for many people, especially those juggling careers, personal and home-life. And with social media/e-mails and constant connection to our workplace, friends and events many of us feel the need to be “ON” all the time, which leaves little to no time to take better CARE of ourselves. Self CARE is UNIQUE for everyone!

Focus on self care as the foundation for being the best you can be. Being your best emotionally and physically will transfer to your work and your ability to focus, increase your performance in the workplace and help bring out the best in you.

“To keep the body in good health is a duty...otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear....” ---- BUDDHA

What are some of your top tips for better self-care?

***FOOD & WATER!  would be number one. If we are not nourishing ourselves with healthy food then we run out of steam and don’t perform well throughout the day and are more likely to eat junk food as the day goes on, or try to get energy from coffee and sweets.

***START THE DAY WITH PROTEIN!

You’ll stay full longer, have more energy and be more alert. Try organic eggs, an easy tofu scramble or some nut butter on a piece of toasted bread.

*HOW DO YOU GET HEALTHY PROTEIN WHEN YOU’RE ON THE RUN IN THE MORNING?

CAGE-FREE EGGS!! It only takes about 60 seconds to scramble an egg, throw in some fresh veggies, a chopped onion, mushrooms, a handful of spinach. OR Add some salsa and wrap in a whole wheat tortilla- etc.

OATMEAL: (Steel Cut with flax seeds)

HARD BOILED EGGS: -Easy to take with you!

Whole or sprouted grain bread with nut butter (peanut butter, almond, cashew.)

KIND GRANOLA with ALMOND MILK

PROTEIN SHAKE: Fruit and protein powder with almond milk.

COTTAGE CHEESE: Mix in some fresh fruit.

BANANA WITH NUT BUTTER

TURKEY ROLL UPS: (go for lean, organic, low-sodium) Add in some lettuce/fresh veggies

GREEK YOGURT:  Full of calcium, protein and probiotics (which are the good bacteria that help promote healthy digestion.) Check the sugar, go for under 10 grams per serving.

TUNA:  Mix up with some olive oil and lemon, or a little mayo, eat on a piece of whole-grain bread with some raw veggies.

CLICK HERE FOR FAST PROTEIN PANCAKE RECIPE!

***WATER:  Most of us DO NOT drink enough!

HOW MUCH? About 8 ounces 8 times a day (2 liters) 8x8 rule!

EASY WAY TO TELL: Urine is clear or very pale yellow.

DRINK about 8 ounces before each meal to help you lose weight (eat less)

Helps with constipation, skin issues, kidney stones, and helps your heart pump blood more effectively and helps blood transport oxygen and other essential nutrients to your cells and helps energize your muscles. Helps reduce fatigue.

***Get the JUNK FOOD out of the house AND the office.

HOW DO YOU GET RID OF THE JUNK?

Clean out your cupboards at home and your stash at the office.  If it’s not in there, you can’t eat it!

WHY?  That 4 o’clock sugar fix will drive you crashing right into a wall--

And try to avoid sugary starbucks type coffee drinks. Try green tea instead of coffee.

WHAT CAN I HAVE INSTEAD?

*Kind fruit and nut bar

*Cottage Cheese and fresh fruit

*a low sugar greek yogurt

*raw veggies with hummus

*a piece of fruit and some nuts:

Packed with healthy fat, protein, fiber and minerals, nuts and seeds help boost immunity and energy production. Mix 'em up and toss a small handful on your next meal or pre-pack in a baggie for an on-the-go pick-me-up.

*Hard-Boiled Eggs:

Nut Butter or Cheese on healthy grain crackers

***-----   PACK A LUNCH

This saves bucks and gives you total control over exactly what you’re eating.

It’s so easy to eat crap and it’s quick. If you just do a little planning ahead you can bring a healthy lunch to the office.

HOW DO I PULL TOGETHER A PACKED LUNCH TO EAT HEALTHY?

EXAMPLES:

Stock up on some fresh, lean organic proteins like turkey breast or any type of protein you like (seitan or vegan options are fine) whole grain breads, lettuce and tomato and make a sandwich and bring along a piece of fruit, a little baggie of nuts, some veggies and hummus. It’s all about being prepared. It literally takes about 2 minutes to make a sandwich or a big salad if you have all the ingredients on hand. Put together a baggie of cut-up veggies to snack on, grapes, or a little trail mix.  **SEE PLAN AHEAD!

EATING OUT: get a doggie bag:  Shop the menu like a restaurant. Choose broth based soup and a salad.

Ask the waiter to bring half your meal packed to go. Cuts down portion and gives you a another meal for later that day or the next.

HOW DO I THROW TOGETHER A QUICK HEALTHY DINNER WHEN I’M EXHAUSTED?

***PLAN AHEAD -STRATEGY!   Make up a shopping list for the week and fill your kitchen with:

*fresh, local organic and seasonal fruits *veggies and fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro, rosemary

* healthy grains like brown rice and quinoa and whole grain pastas, breads and crackers. *Vegetable/chicken stock to add flavor to cooking grains and meats.

*healthy fats (organic butter) and oils like olive and coconut, sesame seed *greek yogurt and cottage cheese *almond milk

*organic soups like lentil, vegetable, green pea *cans of organic beans *frozen fruits & veggies

Tamari soy sauce, pestos, apple cider vinegar, fresh lemon

Use seasonings like curry powders, turmeric, cinnamon, garlic, fresh pepper, sea salt

*lean organic proteins, turkey, chicken, sirloin

*frozen veggie burgers, tempeh, tofu, seitan for vegetarian options.

*NUTS like raw almonds, walnuts or cashews, *whole-grain crackers *kind bars, and at least 70% dark cocoa

*Flavored seltzer waters are great to replace sodas and high-sugar juices.

HEALTHY ALTERNATIVES TO:                 

SUGAR: maple syrup, honey, molasses, agave nectar, whole leaf stevia, xylitol

DAIRY: try almond, soy, oat or coconut milk

COFFEE: black tea, green tea, oolong tea and Yerba Mate

MEAT: If you are a die-hard carnivore, try reducing meat consumption and choose organic, free range meats whenever possible. Other protein sources include: eggs, beans and whole grains like quinoa.

USE SPICES!

Black Pepper, Cayenne, Paprika--Cinnamon, garlic, turmeric

OILS: Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Toasted Sesame

SAUCES: Tamari Soy Sauce, Hot Sauces, Tomato Sauce

Condiments: Dijon Mustard, organic mayonnaise

IMPORTANT TO PREP:

*Wash and prepare veggies so you can grab them right out of the fridge when you get home to whip up a healthy, quick dinner.

*Over the weekend make up a batch of oatmeal, brown-rice, quinoa and store it in the   fridge.

*Have lean protein choices ready to go.

*Have on hand leafy green lettuces (pre-wash is great.)

*Frozen veggies

EASY DINNER: When you get home, grab a large skillet, add a few TBSP of olive oil and through in some chopped onions and garlic, saute a few minutes then add some of your washed veggies, broccoli, carrots, peppers, add in a few splashes of Tamari sauce then add in some chopped protein like organic chicken, saute for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile heat up your grain (brown rice, etc.) Season up the skillet with some fresh squeezes of lemon, a little more Tamari to taste, salt and pepper, serve over brown rice and enjoy!

FAVORITE DRESSING: (great on salad, veggies, fish, chicken, sandwiches)

Makes 2 servings:

2 TBLS Olive Oil

1 TBLS Apple Cider Vinegar

1 TBLS  Dijon mustard --- whisk all together until creamy

MORE RECIPES HERE!

TURN GADGETS OFF!!!

Don’t go straight to your phone/computer when you first wake up. Have a glass of water with lemon, stretch, focus on your breath and set your intention for the day.

*** MOVE AT WORK:  

HOW DO YOU GET MOVING WHEN YOU’RE STUCK AT YOUR DESK, IN MEETINGS IN FRONT OF YOUR COMPUTER?

Create activity:

• Park farther away
• Walk a few blocks
• Take the stairs
• Go for a quick walk on your lunch break
• Stand up sometimes when you take a call
• Get up every hour and stretch, do a few push-ups on the edge of your desk, squats, lunges, or jumping jacks.

Grabbing a few minutes of exercise is not only good for your body, but good for your brain. If you have an important meeting or call coming up and you need an energy boost, try any of these exercises to get you pumped-up and motivated.

5 MINUTE OFFICE WORKOUT:   

Cardio: Jumping Jacks---skaters side to side---raise the roof -shuffles--jabs--jog/march in place, frogs (standing, bend and tap floor, jump up)

Seated in Chair at desk: *Over head presses *Leg extensions *Torso twist *Lateral stretch (arms overhead)

Lower Body:                                             *Chair Squats/Wall Squats *Hamstring Curls *Knees Up *Jump Squats *Lunges

Upper Body: *Push-ups on the edge of your desk or the wall *Triceps dips sitting on the edge of a chair *Hulks (reverse flys) *Bicep curls with water bottles (or stash a lite pair of dumbbells under your desk)

           

YOGA AT YOUR DESK:

Try incorporating some yoga stretches into your day, all while sitting at your desk! Just taking a few minutes to do stretches at your desk can relieve stress, increase productivity, and most importantly, make you feel better. Take your shoes off before starting these stretches if you like.

Neck Rolls Close your eyes.                       Let your chin drop down to your chest. Begin to circle your neck slowly, taking the right ear to the right shoulder, the head back, and then the left ear to the left shoulder. Try to keep the shoulders relaxed and not to hurry through areas of tightness. Take 3-5 rolls and then switch directions and take another 3-5 rolls.

Cat-Cow Stretch Bring both feet flat on the floor. Bring your hands onto your knees. On an inhale, arch the back and look up toward the ceiling. On the exhale, round the spine and let your head drop forward. Repeat for 3-5 breaths.

Seated Forward Bend Push your chair back from your desk. Bring both feet flat on the floor. Interlace your fingers behind your back. Straighten your arms, drawing the interlaced fingers down. Fold at the waist, bringing your interlaced hands over your back. Rest your chest on your thighs and release your neck.

Eagle Arms Take your arms out to either side, parallel to the floor. Bring the arms forward, crossing the right arm over the left and bringing the palms to touch. Lift the elbows while keeping the shoulders sliding down your back. Repeat with the left arm over the right.

Seated Spinal Twist Turn so you are sitting sideways in your chair. Bring both feet flat on the floor. Twist towards the back of the chair, holding the back with both hands. Turn the chair the other way and repeat.

Wrist Stretch Stand up. Turn your hands so that the wrists face your computer and the fingers face the edge of the desk. Lean in to the wrists and flatten your palms as much as possible. Back off if you feel pain.

***DEEP BREATHS--Reduce stress, create mindfulness, returning to center.

HOW DO I BRING MYSELF BACK TO A CALM PLACE WHEN I’M STRESSING OUT AT MY JOB OR AT HOME?

When you find yourself stressing out over something, mindfully take a few slow deep breaths. Inhale for a count of six, exhale for a count of six. This will calm and center you and potentially prevent over-reacting.

ESSENTIAL OILS: Try a few drops of lavender oil on pulse points, inhale and immediately reduce stress.

WHAT ARE SOME OTHER SIMPLE TIPS TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND HAVE A HEALTHIER DAY AT WORK AND AT HOME???

DRINK WATER (and water with lemon for detoxing the liver) -- AVOID SODAS AND DIET SODAS!

Sit UP STRAIGHT

Stand up sometimes when taking a call

Listen to Classical Music    (my favorites Mozart and Bach)

Just a few of the benefits:

1. Reduce pain and anxiety

2. Lower blood pressure

3. Heighten & Arouse Emotions

4. Alter brainwaves and foster brain development in children

5. Help you relax and unwind

6. Calm and center you

EMBRACE STRESS-- (don’t fight it, acknowledge it and then let it go)

Imagine you are sitting on top of a mountain and there are 3 seats next to you--name those emotions-----anger? stress? fear?

DON’T engage them and create a story--leave them alone and then imagine those feelings/emotions are big, fat helium balloons and let them float away---Bye bye

Feelings are not fact

CREATE A ROUTINE

CREATE HEALTHY HABITS!  Just as we learn unhealthy habits, we can learn healthy habits!

CREATE A HAPPY ENVIRONMENT

Little tweaks can make a big difference bringing some pleasure into your day. When we’re good to ourselves, we’re more likely to make healthy choices.

Brighten your desk with fresh flowers, place a picture of loved ones near you,

fill a bowl full of fresh fruit and healthy snacks.

KEEP YOUR WORKSPACE NEAT AND UNCLUTTERED

FIND TIME FOR LEISURE ACTIVITIES:

This is one of the most challenging things about self-care b/c we get so caught up in feeling the need to be doing something all the time, being on all the time, etc.

BE AWARE:

Of things you may be doing that take up a lot of your time but don’t support your self-care such as too much tv, time on the internet or even sleeping. Sure these things in moderation are relaxing but if over done can become A WAY OF RETREATING AND ISOLATING YOURSELF.

1. Make a date night. Turn off your ringer and don’t keep looking at your phone.

2. Get involved in a sport or hobby you love. Find other people who are doing the same thing and knowing that people are counting on you to show is motivational.

3. Volunteer:

4. Make it a  FAMILY affair. Go out bowling, hiking, to a museum, a walk in a new part of town, pack a lunch and some fun toys and head to a local park. OR head to a local fresh market and shop for healthy foods for the week, cook a dinner together!

5. READ A BOOK!

6. GET ENOUGH SLEEP  This varies for everyone but most people can benefit from at least 7 hours. (turn the tv, computers and gadgets off at least ONE HOUR before bedtime--read a book, take a nice soak, drink some herbal tea.)

10 Simple Steps for Self Care

1. If it feels wrong, don't do it.

2. Say "exactly" what you mean.

3. Don't be a people pleaser.

4. Trust your instincts.

5. Never speak bad about yourself.

6. Don't be afraid to say "no".

7.  Don't be afraid to say "yes".

8.  Be KIND to yourself and others.

9.  Let go of what you can't control.

10. Be Grateful

“The way you think, the way you behave, the way you eat, can influence your life by 30-50 years....”  ----- Deepak Chopra

“Your body hears EVERYTHING your mind is saying....”  POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING

“A healthy attitude is contagious, but DON’T WAIT to catch it from others. BE A CARRIER....” ---- Tom Stoppard

“IF YOU’RE HEALTHY-- YOU’RE CAPABLE OF DOING ANYTHING!”

Laura on Primary Food:

Food is more than what you find on your plate. Healthy relationships, regular physical activity, a fulfilling career and a spiritual practice can fill your soul and satisfy your hunger for life. When PRIMARY FOOD is balanced and satiated, your life FEEDS yo, making what you eat secondary.

We hunger for play, fun, touch, romance, intimacy, love, achievement, success, art, music, self-expression, leadership, excitement, adventure and spirituality. All of these elements are essential forms of nourishment, and the extent to which we are able to incorporate them determines how enjoyable and worthwhile our lives feel. If you’re not getting the primary food you need, eating all the food in the world won’t satisfy your hunger.