Author: RachelBeckWellness

5 Tips to Upgrade Your Life Effortlessly

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

“Everyone starts somewhere different, so don’t waste a moment comparing yourself favorably or unfavorably with others. “

 

5 Tips to Upgrade Your Life Effortlessly

Hello Beautiful,

What if we have been wrong, all along, about why we aren’t “Living Our Best Life”? What if it wasn’t a lack of time, discipline, or money that was keeping us from being our best at every level. I am happy to tell you that there are some paradigm shifts that can launch you forward to the next level of freedom, delight, and clarity in your life. Here are 5 ways to upgrade your approach and break through:

Upgrade don’t eliminate. For example, rather than swearing off chips and guacamole, try Siete brand grain free chips (free of inflammatory omega 6 rich oils -like canola, cottonseed, corn, sunflower, safflower, and soy oils- that plague 99% of the “healthy” chips out there) and fresh avocado seasoned with Spike multi-purpose seasoning and lemon juice. I am a firm believer that every “vice” has a fabulous tasting alternative. This summer I am making a healthy Key Lime Pie every week.

Take your time. Rushing through meals, conversations, and tasks is the route to dissatisfaction in life. In Cal Newport’s amazing book Deep Work, he shares research that being truly present to any task brings greater satisfaction than rushing through even the best experiences. In this distracted and over busy culture, we are losing the ability to actually enjoy what we are working so hard to accomplish. By slowing down and mindfully doing one thing at a time, we will multiply our life satisfaction in each moment.

Start small. Most changes are delayed because we don’t have the time, energy, money, etc to “really” do it. I challenge you to start with a 2-5 min daily action towards your “stuck” areas. A single yoga Sun Salutation, a single kitchen drawer re-organized, a 3 minute Jade Egg practice, or any other small but consistent daily practice you have been meaning to add “someday” is enough to turn the tide. After a few weeks, you may inch the time up a bit. Overall, the mindset shift you are going for here is “too small to fail.” We can all find 2 minutes every single day to meditate. In time, it will expand in scope, but for now, keep it tiny and consistent.

Progress not perfection. Keep heading in the direction of your goal. Don’t let setbacks convince you you’ve failed. Be compassionate with your setbacks and relentless in your re-orientation. Change is rarely a straight line but it is a consistent direction. All or nothing thinking usually leaves us with the nothing rather than all! So let’s be strategic, compassionate, and relentless in our direction.

Beware of comparison. When we are looking for an extraordinary result, we shouldn’t compare ourselves to others. Find role models for various areas of life (relational masters, aging well super heroes, people who excel as communicators, people who are wise, etc). Use your “Pantheon of Inspiration” to recalibrate your expectations for your growth. Everyone has different starting places, so don’t waste a moment comparing yourself favorably or unfavorably with others. Instead, keep studying the habits, skills, and mindsets of those who inspire you towards your fullest potential.

When we commit to change, we commit to upgrading our mindset and remodeling our habits. Both of these take some time and resolve to shift. If we take a strategic and long term approach, we can really make big shifts. I like to spend 30 minutes each Sunday to review my journaling insights, notes from time with counselors/mentors, and my own annual or monthly goals. I find this weekly re-immersion into my Future Self is key to keeping my momentum and refining my approach in the coming week. I am wishing you great success as you journey forward from what is now to what is possible!

Cheering you on,
Rachel

 

Breakthroughs come from Insight and Innovation

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

“The first step in shifting a long standing life pattern, is to connect to our physical body as the container of that pattern of energy. All life changes require a change in how we relate to our body.”

 

Breakthroughs come from Insight and Innovation

Hello Beautiful,

Like so many people, are you feeling the need for some breakthroughs in your life? Do things feel a little stuck? Or, are you longing for a break to catch your breath, integrate the last chapter, and savor a bit before the next thing starts up? I have some encouragement for you my friend! Settle in and read on for a juicy tale of finding freedom…

When Emily came to me, she was feeling pretty stuck and needed a new approach to transform some repeating patterns. It seemed like she was going from one crisis to another rather than being the captain of her ship. After many years and many strategies, she had started to wonder if life could ever be substantially different. It can feel like the “whack a mole” game, where just when one problem settles down, another arises. It’s not that she expected an easy life (she was realistic and a very diligent soul), it’s just that she felt perpetually on her heels. She wanted to get to the point where the pulse of life was nurturing and forward moving.

From that stability she could deal with the curve balls life sends to us all with more equanimity and less depletion. She wanted to create a new way of feeling moment to moment. She knew this would create a totally different quality of life-one that she had long craved. It had space. It had simplicity. It felt nurturing and forward moving.

Here’s how I helped Emily create a new normal….

We started with a deeply relaxing yoga session to help her get into her parasympathetic nervous system and release the stress she was carrying as a baseline “normal” sensation in her body. As Einstein said, “We cannot solve a problem from the same level of thinking in which we created it.” We have to access a different part of ourselves to find solutions for our evolved future. The first step in shifting a long standing life pattern is to connect to our physical body as the container of that pattern of energy, and better understand what our body knows. It knows a lot. It keeps a record of our joys and sorrows and our baseline way of being. All life changes require a change in how we relate to our body.

Next, we did a guided relaxation where she zeroed in on where she carried her tension—the pit of her stomach. Knowing that, we could support her stomach under the burden of tension it was often under. We then went into a journaling session where the wisdom of her centered, aware self could guide our work together most effectively. We explored several questions that helped clarify core beliefs about herself and the nature of life that kept her in her current patterns.

We also explored new and empowering beliefs that could be her new baseline to create a life around. My goal here was to connect Emily to her own spiritual and intuitive wisdom to re-create her life in fullness and balance. It’s an ongoing process and this phase of our work together was beautiful.

Out of the guided meditation and journaling work, came our game plan. First, we addressed the needs of her body: carrying her tension in her stomach made her susceptible to upset stomachs and bloating that depleted her energy and made her feel socially awkward at times. We decided to do some work on eliminating things we knew didn’t digest well for her, and to add probiotics and digestive enzymes.

Also, she committed to one month of 3 meals a day (no snacking) eaten seated at the table (no more meals on the run). Over the course of a month, her digestion improved dramatically, her abdomen reduced by nearly two inches, and her energy doubled. She felt clear headed and focused at a level that delighted her. What a breakthrough!

Next, we worked in her kitchen. She realized that it didn’t feel welcoming; she felt overwhelmed, yet without viable options. A kitchen purge was needed! We de-cluttered cookbooks, half the cooking gear was donated, and the pantry was purged of outdated and unhealthy options.

We made a list of her favorite foods and meals and found the best ingredients and recipes to use in a 14 day menu rotation. Now, her kitchen was twice as inviting—with everything easily accessible and uncluttered. Eating felt like a pleasure and meal planning and preparation was doable. She was saving money by eating at home more and was delighted that she released 5lb effortlessly that month. The pay off for clarity and creating a supportive system for meals was delightful.

As our work continued, getting to the root issue for Emily was key. As she had reflected in our initial yoga+ meditation+journaling session, she felt that she had always struggled to feel worthy of love. This came from childhood wounds, painful dynamics in her previous marriage, and the voice in her head that always put pleasure after completing a project.

After all, “I have to earn the right to be treated lovingly” had deeply lodged in her subconscious. It’s why she stayed up too late working (being tired is irrelevant when you need to prove your worth by working). It’s why she delayed eating meals (she had learned to quiet the needs of her body as nuisances rather than important cues for connecting to herself). It’s why she hadn’t moved forward various projects in her home (she treated her home like she treated her body—it can wait- outside needs are more important).

As Emily connected these dots, she realized that healing her emotional wounds and her connection to her body, were both key to moving things forward in her living environment and even her career. It was a cascade effect of insight and strategic action moving her forward.

Bringing this key issue to Light, and consciously re-patterning her approaches to reflect the truth-she is worthy of love and tender care separate from her helpfulness/productivity freed up her energy, released stale dynamics in her relationships, and healed parts of her Soul that had been neglected for a long while. The process is gradual and long term, but the initial insight, the loving support and new approaches I was able to bring to help her re-pattern, they all gave a sense of progress and hope that felt like fresh air in Emily’s sails.

After this set of changes felt deeply ingrained and natural, we  resumed our work and went deeper, expanding to other areas of healing, nurturing, and designing new systems and supportive environments.

By healing our souls, nurturing our bodies, and creating new patterns, we have an ever evolving path. In this way, we can actually age in reverse…releasing old patterns and becoming freer and more intentional over time. That is true freedom. It’s all connected and if we can take the time to listen, we can create a new way of approaching our life and our total well-being.

By connecting with the wisdom/needs of our body, we can tune into our emotional/relational lives, we can connect to our unexpressed creativity/sensual energy, and our physical environments (the stuck energy/extra weight we live with). I love helping women find lasting change through root cause insights.

We then create new environments and habits to support permanent shifts in the direction of living a nurturing, expressive, fulfilling, and calm life. And from that foundation of strategic living we can then weather the storms of life with greater ease, less trauma, and actually gaining strength and resilience.

Are you ready to make some changes? Let Emily’s story inspire you that it is possible. Reach out to me if you want a guide on your path…its my calling to empower successful women to re-prioritize their wellness and long term happiness.

 

Cheering you on,

Rachel

 

Interior Design for Your Soul – pt 2

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

“It is possible to create a life of beautiful intentionality in our self care, our environment, and the habits that support both.'”

 

Interior Design for Your Soul – Pt 2

Hello Beautiful,

Let’s look at how *Interior Design for Your Soul* can help you make the shifts you’ve longed for and support the long term thriving you aspire to. My virtual and in person consulting combines my work in wellness, wisdom mentorship, habit curation, and environmental optimization. The fact is that these things all feed off each other. Our health, our mindset, our habits, and our environment all limit or expand what we are capable of becoming and creating.

Our daily wellness rituals ground us in the wisdom of our bodies, they connect us to it’s signals of resonance or dis-ease that are offering guidance on decisions. Our messy desks and overflowing closets contribute to our feeling confused and overwhelmed. However, our curated and artfully organized wardrobes, a refrigerator stocked with the healthiest versions of our favorite foods, and home offices that offer space to create in a well organized and inspiring place, fuel our success in every area. Our surroundings effect our state of mind and our conception of what we are and can do in our life.

The first place we live, our very first home, is our body. How we relate to our body will shape our lives profoundly. I am here to help you develop your body centered connection to your Spirit. I want to help you identify and remove the blocks to your progress. It’s so fulfilling to design rituals and practical systems to make thriving your default setting. When you re-design your personal habits & spaces to prime you for success in every area, it’s a game changer. It is possible to create a life of beautiful intentionality in our self care, our environment, and the habits that support both.

In order to flourish, we need to consistently invest in the care of our body, mind, and Spirit. The more we invest in our health, wisdom, and intellect, the more we have to enjoy and to share. Without health, we cannot act in the world. Without wisdom we cannot act well. Without developing our intellect, we will be the slave of the latest cultural trend rather than the curator of millennia of study & insight mixed with a skillful adaptability to the particulars of our era.

During the years I spent working in Interior Design and as a Professional Organizer, I saw how helping people organize and beautify the spaces they live and work in changed their lives. When things feel messy and out of control, an undercurrent of stress and anxiety lurks in a space. But after completing projects for clients, their whole energy would shift. They felt lighter, clearer, and better able to move other areas of their life forward. When your environment uplifts and inspires you, it energizes your life.

Our environment is like a marinade we soak in…it flavors us as we are in it! What energy do you want to be marinated in? I love to be in environments that are well organized and inspiring. I love lots of natural light, fresh air, fresh flowers, and a few pieces of inspiring art. I am looking to create a feeling of luxurious simplicity. The impact of carefully chosen pieces that serve the needs of the space practically and beautifully is extraordinary.

Looking great, feeling amazing, growing in virtue, and living in a well designed space are all interconnected and the foundation for success in whatever your life calling is. If you want to work with me in re-designing your life to help your soul flourish, reach out and let’s talk. And please forward this to a friend who is looking to make changes in their life. I am excited to co-create the next chapter with you!

Cheering you on,

Rachel

 

Interior Design for Your Soul

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

“How exciting to see that integrating all of these elements is a 360º approach to transforming a life – I call it ‘Interior Design for Your Soul.'”

 

Interior Design for Your Soul

Hello Loves,

I am so excited to share what I have been working on for the past few months…an evolution of how I can best serve you. I am synergizing my past work in modeling, interior design, nutrition, yoga, meditation, and personal growth. It’s so exciting to take you behind the scenes in my life and share how it all is coming together!

As a teenager, I was signed with the most prestigious modeling agency in NYC and learned a lot about beauty and style. But, I found my personal trajectory was broader than the industry supported. Drawing on my hobby as a young girl, where I scoured the library and bookstores for design and architecture references, I went into interior design. I was fortunate that  during college and after graduation, I was invited to work with two amazing design firms and relished being a part of creating environments that elevated and inspired others. As I worked in the field, I saw that clients wanted to create an idealized version of themselves and their lifestyle.

But, a gorgeous living environment won’t improve your life as much as an inner experience of harmony and vitality. So, I decided to evolve my work and pursue training in creating the lived experience of beauty and harmony. This included nutrition, yoga, meditation, essential oils, and other modalities that reunite people with their birthright—looking and feeling their best & growing in wisdom.

How exciting to see that integrating all these elements is a 360º approach to transforming a life. I call it “Interior Design for Your Soul” and it embraces a process that includes:

  1. Insight – what do you wish to change? Where do you want to grow? What would your ideal life look and, importantly, feel like? What no longer serves you? What do you wish to add?
  2. Creating a clear vision for the next phase of your life, ie. measurable outcomes
  3. Creating new habits that will systematically create those results
  4. Creating an inspiring environment that re-enforces your goals and vision

The process begins with a customized yoga session and guided meditation, to help you connect to your body’s wisdom and quiet your mind. Then we move into a guided journaling session in which you clarify your vision. Next, we work together to identify which habits will give you the most leverage, create new systems, and gather the necessary resources to support your change. Lastly, we asses and re-create your environment to remove friction (declutter, organize, re-style) from the environment and offer an environment that mirrors your priorities and evolution.

I look forward to sharing more of my new offerings with you. In the meantime, if you know of anyone who might be interested in this kind of approach, I kindly request you forward this to them. Wishing you a summer of joy, restoration, and transformation!

Cheering you on,

Rachel

 

Less But Better

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

“We can have the courage to live in a way that our calendars reflect our hearts.”

 

Less But Better

Hello Loves,

The best and most challenging decisions I have made center around ignoring the “norms” and carefully choosing what aligns with my deepest priorities. This invariably means I am choosing to simplify. As the book Essentialism so thoroughly explores, when we “choose less, but better” we choose in alignment with our intended future rather than being carried along in the stream of expectations. In order to get what we want most, we have to unplug from the ideal of being “normal” and that can challenge each of us differently. Being part of the group is a survival need.

We all need to feel part of a community where we can contribute and where we feel supported. But beyond investing in our chosen communities where we live, work, play, and are educated….there is a group think driven by societal norms that doesn’t serve us. When we feel we must say yes to commitments everyone else is doing, watch the popular shows, go to the cool weekend events, and buy what indicates our social status….we gradually distance ourselves from our true selves. Being “normal” is often a lesser good than we would choose if we just listened to our hearts and Spirits. We have to stop valuing how we look more than how we feel.

Seeming to be happy and well nourished is very different from feeling deeply connected to what your body and soul need. There is only so much time in a day. How are we going to spend it? What do we really value being well versed on—plot twists in currently popular shows or areas of expertise we want to keep gaining knowledge in? A few years ago, I switched 20 minutes a day on Instagram, for 20 minutes a day on furthering my progress in becoming trilingual. That was a good investment!

Life will likely never offer us a good time to slow down, to do that inner healing work, to really invest in that change/relationship/project. It’s always going to be a tough decision. We can have the courage to live in a way that our calendars reflect our hearts. Rather than passively letting others choose our priorities for us, we will live a life that we can be at deep peace with when we breathe our last. Our fear of death is quelled when our integrity in life is deepened. Creating the time to pause may require creativity. Last year I spent 5 days on silent retreat alone to rest, journal, read, reflect, and clarify my priorities and how I organize my habits around those priorities.It was wonderful.

Be creative in finding ways that fit your time and budget…but find ways to pause and reflect. It’s the only way to really hear your heart. In the end, no one knows your inner calling, your deepest challenges, and your longings but you. You are the one who has been entrusted with seeing all of that through to the end.

Take that calling seriously. You have been given a gift and a solemn responsibility. The only expectations you need to meet are the ones you will cherish as you exhale your final goodbye. And, that way of thinking is what gives your life rich meaning and layered beauty. That’s how you are meant to live. What is coming to mind right now? What changes are calling to you? Do it. Do it now.

Cheering you on,

Rachel

 

Your Spring Reset

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

“With the arrival of Spring and the sensuality of the season’s flowers, sunshine, and nature’s re-emergence, I want to offer some ways you can revel in the season “

 

Your spring reset

Hello Loves,

With the arrival of Spring and the sensuality of the season’s flowers, sunshine, and nature’s re-emergence, I want to offer some ways you can revel in the season like never before. Are you ready for a reset? Do you want to feel inspired and energized? Try this for a day…or 3 or 7…and see what *fantastic* feels like. The effort is well worth it. Are you ready?!

Recipe for Nourishing days and Restorative Nights…

1. Live with the light! This experiment starts in the evening. Eat dinner before the sun sets. Withstand the urge to consume anything but water or herbal tea in the remaining hours before bed. Don’t turn on any lights as the natural light fades. Light candles. Turn off your smart phone after dinner and tuck it away the whole evening. Rather than watching a movie/Netflix….unwind gently with some stretching, a bath, or quiet conversation. Go to bed when it’s dark. Yes, that is likely between 8-8:30pm. You are going to be so well rested!

2. Sleep as long as you possibly can. When you are refreshed (or your schedule/kids/dog need you to be up!), take a gentle pace to your morning. Drink a liter of pure room temperature water with 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon juice and/or a pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt. Do 10 minutes of gentle stretching. Just move in ways that feel good and get your circulation moving. Dry brush your whole body and take a lukewarm shower with your favorite body wash.

3. When you dress, choose something you feel pretty, stylish, and comfortable in. Wear something you tend to save that makes you feel lovely. Apply a scent you enjoy. Spend a few extra moment with your hair/makeup to try something new.

4. Take some time to orient your Spirit for the day with you personal mix of prayer, meditation, journaling, gratitude practice, and breath work. Choose a word or phrase that you wish to embody for the day ahead and note 3 actions you can take to support your embodying that today.

5. Prepare a satisfying and balanced breakfast. Be sure to include protein, fat, fiber, and produce. Some examples include a blueberry-spinach-flaxmeal-almond butter smoothie and a spinach omelette with Matcha Latte. Take your time to enjoy the meal without reading or watching anything. Ideally, you will eat this outside or by a window with a view.

6. Cross off, delegate, or re-schedule several things on today’s calendar. Use the extra time to be outside with your shoes off walking in the grass, putter in the garden, or hike on a trail nearby. Be in nature and breath it all in!

7. Enjoy a lunch date with a friend or family member and laugh a lot. Tell them something you love about them. Romp down memory lane and celebrate the silliness you have shared.

8. In the afternoon, take 10 minutes to sit and do nothing. Just listen to the quiet, or the birds, or whatever ambient sound is there. Resist the need to problem solve or remember. Just be.

9. Eat an early, light dinner. If you finish by 6pm and don’t enjoy breakfast until 9am, you will give your system 15 hrs to rest and re-set. Early dinners improve sleep, reduce excess weight (our metabolism is 30% less efficient in digesting our evening calories….this means it’s more likely to turn dinner calories into extra weight), and allow the brain to repair (the glymphatic system can only be activated when the blood flow of digestion is done early in the night).

10. Repeat often until you feel rested, bright, calm, and clear. Syncing our patterns with the rising and setting of the sunlight actually helps balance blood sugar, helps us get to and maintain our healthiest weight, calms and balances the nervous system, improves immunity and digestion, and equips us to live with intention and passion.

Cheering you on,
Rachel

 

Your Best Hair Yet Part 2

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

“This hair care ritual  can really improve your hair growth rate, give you silky hair, and relax you deeply. “

 

Your Best Hair Yet Part 2 – Weekly Hair care ritual

Hello Loves,

In part 2 of my series on hair care, I am going to share a hair care ritual that can really improve your hair growth rate, give you silky hair, and relax you deeply. Try this once or twice each week for best results!

Scalp Massage and Deep Moisture Treatment

1.Conceptually divide your scalp into 6 areas. Apply about 1 tsp. oil at a time to your finger tips and massage each of these areas with a new bit of oil for about a minute. In total this will take about 6 minutes. Use castor oil, coconut oil, EVVO, or a hair oil blend from a clean beauty company and firmly press the oil into the scalp in circular motions. If you use about 1 tsp. per section, and do 6 sections you will use about 2T of oil.

2. Using the pads of your finger, press firmly into the scalp and really massage the skin—try to get the skin to move 1/4in in any direction. As we age, the fascia on our scalp (and our whole body) tends to get rigid rather than remain pliable. By massaging and moving our scalp we are increasing circulation and that stimulates hair health/growth.

3. Comb the oil down the length of your hair and wrap it in a bun or towel. Let the oils saturate the hair for 30 minutes. Sit in the bath, use the sauna, or rest on the couch and relax.

4. Rinse out with lukewarm water. You may want to double shampoo. Then apply a deep conditioner/mask to the mid length of your hair down to the ends. Comb it through and let that sit for 15 min. before rinsing out. End with a cool water rinse of the hair.

5. Consider washing your hair 2-3x week instead of daily. This will allow the scalp to produce its natural oils and balance. Avoid chemical laden dry shampoos.

6. Try only using a deep moisture mask rather than a conditioner. When you wash your hair 2-3x wk., apply the mask from mid length to ends and let sit 5-15 min. Always end with a cool rinse.

7. Try air drying your hair once a week and only using heat stylers once per week. If you need to use a dryer/straightener/roller/iron each time, air dry to damp and “finish” your drying with using the highest quality equipment you can afford. Pricier tools work faster so there is less hair damage from prolonged heat exposure.

If you use this approach, your hair can make a significant improvement in it’s quality, shine, and texture. The scalp massage is deeply relaxing and good for circulation (which is always a plus!). Let me know your results as you try these tips.

Cheering you on,
Rachel

 

Your Best Hair Yet Part 1

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

“A great hairstylist is wonderful, but the real key is what we give them to work with.”

 

Your Best Hair Yet Part 1

Hello Loves,

Happy Spring! I am so excited about the longer days, fresh produce, and abundant time in nature that’s just around the corner. Isn’t it wonderful to feel the surge of Life opening everywhere?

Perhaps you (as I am…) are contemplating how to refresh your hairstyle. A great hairstylist is wonderful, but the real key is what we give them to work with. I have learned so much about hair health over the years and I am excited to share much of it with you over the coming weeks.

Today, I want to share what you can do to have the lushest hair ever. The kind of hair you thought might never be yours. Whether it’s overcoming a “my hair won’t grow past this length” plateau, rebalancing hormone levels so hair normalizes, or finding the best diet and products for lustrous locks, I’ve got your back!

Over the past 3 decades of studying and teaching about optimal health, I have seen that no matter what we desire to improve in our health/appearance, there is always a way to move forward and make big progress towards our goals. Consistent effort towards balance and wholeness is always the path. While results aren’t always immediate, in a matter of weeks or months they are measurable…and over the years those results accrue dramatically.

Our hair reflects our overall health. It especially mirrors the health of these organs and glands: ovaries/testicles+thyroid+kidney/adrenals. These organs/glands reflect our vitality levels, how balanced our hormones are, our ability to sustain energy/Chi/Life Force effectively. If our hair is thinning, dry, brittle, won’t grow, or is prematurely greying it is particularly connected to these organs.

In addition to testing normal levels (and optimizing, if needed, with a Naturopath or Functional Medicine MD), or having specific blood work done, there is a lot you can do to nourish your hair (via your circulation and health) with your diet and lifestyle. In Part 1 we will be discussing what you can eat (and not eat) to grow gorgeous hair.

Your Beautiful Hair Diet

Our hair loves nutritive fats! Quality fats make our hair shiny and healthy. Also, the right sourcing and amounts of protein give hair strength and helps it grow. Abundant phyto- nutrients balance our systems and hormones so we can glow from the inside out. Some of the best foods for lovely hair are:

Avocados
Extra virgin olive oil
Coconut oil
Avocado oil
Seeds (sesame, flax, hemp, pumpkin, and sunflower especially)
Freshly shelled nuts (outside of their shells, nuts are susceptible to having the fats go rancid)
Wild caught fish
Eggs from pasture raised, foraging hens
Pasture Raised Meats (good sources of iron, choline, protein, etc.)

Healthy Hair Kryptonite
These things make your hair look dull, grow slowly, and break easily. Avoid them and upgrade your diet to the high quality nourishment you really crave.

Alcohol—consume this rarely. Biodynamic wines and clear alcohols are better. Consume with greens and proteins to lessen the effect on the body.

Sugar—a little seasonal fruit, a spoon of local honey, stevia, coconut sugar, and lakanato are the best ways to sweeten your diet without sacrificing your beauty and health.

Simple Carbs—you know the drill—white sugar, white flour, crackers, pastas, chips, pizza. All of these put your blood sugar out of whack and offer little to nourish your beauty.

Damaged Fats—the sneakiest! Most people think they do great on this one but are unaware of where they lurk. All of the packaged foods you eat, the shelled nuts/nut butters, heated oils, fried foods, hydrogenated fats, and even the vast majority of organic/“healthy” salad dressings (see the next point….).

Seed oils—Canola, cottonseed, corn, peanut, safflower, sunflower, and soy oils are chief culprits. These cause inflammation and build weak cell walls. It takes 2 years to replace 1/2 the cells in your body. Your cell walls are tremendously important to your health. They decide how well nutrients are assimilated, how well wastes are removed, and how the intra cellular fluid is contained in the cell (hydrated and healthy) or leaks out (unable to hold in the fluids).

Factory farmed meats and animal products—GMO seeds and glyphosate soaked soils kill our microbiome, destroy our innate immune system (the lining of the gut), and add a toxic load to our systems. Organically sourced animal products are the most important category of organics to have in your diet because they are higher up the food chain and accumulate more residues.

Aim for these 4 things daily:

  1. 10 servings Organic Produce:
    1. 2 servings of low glycemic fruits (especially berries, green apples, kiwi, pomegranate seeds, and grapefruit).
    2. 8 servings green veggies per day (for example: 1c. Spinach blended into your morning eggs or smoothie, 4cups of salad at lunch and 2 cups lightly cooked veggies at dinner).
  2. 2-3T super food oils
    1. Eat the freshest/highest quality, in dark glass, unheated.
    2. Cook your foods in broth and add oils after removing from the heat source.
  3. 1/2 your body weight in protein grams consumed daily
    1. 3-7 servings per week of pasture raised/wild animal products.
    2. alternate with nuts/seeds to get adequate protein.
    3. consider adding collagen to your diet in bone broths or supplement form.
    4. Vitamin C helps us produce collagen naturally, too! So prioritize this in your diet and supplementation.
  4. Drink 2-3 liters of purified water daily—hydration is health

The results are in the details—quality…exacting quality for everything you take in your body is key to the results you will get.

This regime will contribute to your overall health and beauty immensely. Please let me know what you are doing well already and where you want to up level your game. I can’t wait to hear what is motivating for you and what results you are seeing.

Cheering you on,
Rachel

 

Cultivating a Growth Mindset

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

“When we realize that we are not limited by what we know to be true but instead are able to embrace all that we don’t yet know ….then the options are infinite.”

 

Cultivating a Growth Mindset

Hello Loves,

The difference between being stuck and resigned to our fate and continuing to break through and up level our lives is largely dependent on our willingness to be humble, curious, and persistent. You can call this growth mindset. And it’s the ticket to a life well lived.

Humility….
When we are humble we don’t assume we have tried everything. We realize that there are nearly 8 billion people alive and many more who have passed on and left vestiges of their insights from which we can draw. We stop saying to ourselves “I can’t believe I have done x, y, and z and this still is unresolved.” We believe that a solution is possible (or a new approach/mindset that will reframe the situation in our experience) and that we are on a treasure hunt to find it. The more of an expert we feel ourselves to be in a subject, the more we must guard against putting a limit on a subject to only include what we already know.

Curiosity…
When we are curious we are willing to try new approaches or sources of information. I love reading point of views from a variety of sources I don’t currently align with. It’s so important not to limit our exposure to that which only confirms our current approach or point of view. I want to understand other ways of seeing what I see. I am open to being “wrong” about a topic and shifting approaches. If we can stay open (yet discerning) we will be exposed to different kinds of solutions that just may alter our course.

Persistence…
Some changes take days, some take years, and some take aeons! It’s up to us to keep our rudder directed towards the shore we desire to reach and take consistent action, however small, towards that place. We might feel like the water eroding the rock face very slowly. We might get lucky and experience help from an unexpected source. The time frame might be out of our hands but the process is ours to shape.

I live in a world of people who have recovered from incurable diseases, healed long held emotional wounds, and re-created their lives in dramatic ways. Our ability to make these enormous turnarounds is grounded in our faith. Do we have faith that an unseen answer, a Divine assist, or a path not yet found is able to enter our situation and transform it? My answer is a profound “Yes!”.

When we realize that we are not limited by what we know to be true but able to embrace all that we don’t yet know ….then the options are infinite. Let’s embrace a childlike openness to receive guidance and grace as we pursue not what we think is normal but what we dream might be possible. In the dreaming we just may meet our destiny.

Cheering you on,
Rachel

 

Tools for Understanding and Eliminating Cellulite

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

“New research suggest that cellulite is actually unhealthy fascia.”

 

Tools for Understanding and Eliminating Cellulite

Hello Loves,

Even though we are in the middle of winter and layering up, our physiques still need our attention. It’s bathing suit season 365 days a year because our body is our home. Looking our best is secondary to feeling our best. But, let’s be real, we all want to look our best. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Being the best version of ourselves is healthy. Whereas, ranking ourselves with others is unhealthy. So, let’s talk about the nemesis revealed when we aren’t hiding under layers of winter clothes…cellulite!

Most women I know would like to reduce their cellulite. But what exactly is it? Once it arrives, is it here to stay? Why does it seem to increase during midlife? Can it really be effectively reduced? Does it even matter? Or should we just accept it as inevitable like “death and taxes?!”

Cellulite is the uneven appearance of skin/flesh that accumulates just under the skin. It commonly accumulates on the legs and hips, and sometimes upper arms and belly. Much is being learned about cellulite and how we can effectively reduce it. Let’s look at this fascinating topic together.

1. What is cellulite?

New research suggest that cellulite is actually unhealthy fascia. Fascia is the connective tissue under the skin and it also wraps around our muscles and organs. In Oriental medicine, fascia conducts the life force/chi throughout the body. It is, in fact, the layer/depth into which most acupuncture treatments are done because it is the bio-conductive tissue. The fascia we see and call cellulite is the layer just above the muscles and below the skin. Thin people can have it but it tends to accumulate even more as we put on weight and as we age.

2. What is the relationship between movement and cellulite?

Recovering healthy fascia is helped through moving at least every 30 minutes throughout the day (cleaning, taking laundry upstairs, walking on errands, doing house/yard work, cooking, etc.). Rebounding is excellent for moving the lymphatic fluid that can get “stuck” in the fascia through the system. Aerobic exercise increases circulation, and for that reason, moves the lymph through the fascia.

Weight resistant exercise builds/maintains muscle which is metabolically active and helps regulate hormone balance in a way that is unfriendly to cellulite. Yoga increases circulation and helps move lymphatic fluid/Chi through the tissues of the body and will often reduce cellulite. Gradually build 20-60 min workouts into your morning and evening routine in addition to your active lifestyle. I like to start the day with yoga and a walk or rebounding on my mini-trampoline and then do a Pilates or strength session before dinner. If you aim for 2 movement sessions a day (don’t worry if they are short!), even when the day morphs and you loose one, you still got one in! I find morning movement gets me connected to my breath and into my body (rather than just in mental strategies for the day ahead). The late afternoon session helps me release the day and transition to a more relaxed evening.

3. What dietary factors influence cellulite accumulation?

All inflammatory foods will support the development and homemaking of cellulite. Simple carbohydrates, vegetable oils, preservatives, non organic pesticides/herbicides, additives, non pasture raised/wild animal products with accumulations from GMO sourced feeds and antibiotics given to the animals, cigarettes, and alcohol all increase inflammation in our tissues and multiply our cellulite. A diet of 1/2 vegetables (mostly leafy greens), nuts/seeds/healthy oils, moderate portions of animal proteins, low fruit consumption, carefully chosen complex carbohydrates, and goat/sheep dairy in small portions can significantly reduce inflammation and balance hormones in a way that naturally melts away cellulite.

4. Other than a clean diet and movement what can be done to reduce cellulite?

Whatever stimulates circulation, helps move lymphatic fluid, and reduces inflammation will also reduce cellulite. Dry brushing, infrared sauna use, cold plunges/showers, rebounding, lymphatic drainage massage, and anti-inflammatory supplements can work together to boost your progress. I like to use a gua sha disk or fascia blaster 3x week for about 30 min (while listening to a podcast usually) to smooth my fascia and keep it in top shape. Foam rolling is helpful for this but less effective than the firmer and more direct pressure from the fascia massage tools. To learn more about fascia massage and get the tool I use you can go to ashleyblack.com. Another tremendous benefit of doing fascia massage is that there are reservoirs within the fascial tissue that are stimulated to produce collagen at the same time the fascia is being “organized”by your massage strokes. That is quite a 2 for 1—younger looking skin and reduced cellulite. This type of massage also reduces systemic inflammation (by moving lymphatic fluid more effectively) and reduces pain in those experiencing chronic pain in their bodies. There are so many benefits to working strategically to steward our fascia.

5. The relationship between aging and cellulite is interesting. Why does it seem to multiply towards midlife?

The accumulation of cellulite with age is related to decreased circulation, increased inflammation, hormonal imbalances, decreased overall health, accumulated oxidative stress resulting in sub-optimal well being, weight gain, and decreased activity levels. While all of this is “normal”/commonly occurs, it is not inevitable or healthy. Our actions are powerful levers to shift all these factors and regain our optimal wellness. Find and regularly see a Functional Medicine Doctor so that you can get to the root of your maladies and begin to turn back the clock. Befriend and support other health focused friends. Find role models of people who are aging beautifully in body, mind, and spirit and make that your expectation, too. We live into our expectations, so choose yours carefully!!!

Closing thoughts….

At age 46 and with 6 babies I don’t exactly have the “advantage” of being a naturally cellulite free 12 year old beach bunny! And yet, the truth is, I have little to no cellulite. I have had it before and gotten rid of it. When I baked and ate lots of desserts as a young teen, it crept on. Then I learned about diet and fitness and it melted off. When I sat a lot to nurse 6 hrs a day…it started to accumulate. But, when my new mom sedentary months concluded, I started adding more intense fitness and it came off. All we have to do is see how we can shift our patterns and then change happens. We live. We learn. We change. Things shift. Don’t be discouraged, take action and watch things shift. Make the changes out of love, not out of frustration. Your body is a miracle and we are all just learning as we go. Now you are better educated and can take better action!

I used the practices above have the healthy fascia I have today. When we realize that it’s not just about wanting to look great in summer clothes or lingerie (which I am all for!), but it’s about reducing inflammation, increasing the flow of vital energy in the body, and optimizing our wellness, we can see that it’s worth the effort to make the changes to our diet and lifestyle. We can be healthy and beautiful at any age with good habits.

Our health is in our habits. We have to choose our habits based on the results we want. Pick 2 or 3 of the ideas above and integrate those into your life for several months, and then pick another habit or two and just keep going (!) in small, consistent changes. The pay off for this effort is feeling good 98% of the time. It’s looking your best. It’s having your own back when it comes to the aging process. It’s autonomy and choice as you age. And, if we approach our lives with loving, strategic habits, we can always say “the best is yet to come”.

Cheering you on,
Rachel