Author: RachelBeckWellness

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

 

It’s Time to Use Your Secret Superpower

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

“If we don’t learn how to use our imagination, it will use us.”

 

It’s Time to Use Your Secret Superpower

Hello Loves,

I sincerely hope this is a year of transformation and breakthroughs for everyone. Our situational breakthroughs are usually preceded by perceptive breakthroughs. Our thoughts become things. Therefore we are wise to consider what we create with our mind. I would like to share with you some insights on how to use our imagination constructively this year.

So often we use our imagination to torture and limit ourselves. Being influenced by fear leads us to visualizing a negative outcome and feeling that outcome in our body. That negative visualization can shape decisions big and small that dampen the joys and possibilities in our lives. Why would we choose to use our powerful imaginations to rehearse failure, injury, harm, and other terrible outcomes…habitually!?

We probably do that because we never learned how to use our imagination rather than falling victim to having it use us.

Our imagination can be used to practice a new way of being and to open doors for growth and change. Here are some of the ways I like to use my imagination for my betterment and growth:

  1.  I imagine likely challenges in the day and see myself responding in a skillful and constructive way. I practice the feeling I will face and how I will respond intentionally to that challenge.
  2. I practice thinking positive and compassionate thoughts when others confound or disappoint me. I practice what my inner dialogue/feeling can be under strain.
  3. I practice my new habits…the things I plan to do and be that day. I see myself in the new pattern and the positive outcomes that result.
  4. I practice my inner state (in meditation) that can be present and non reactive when I leave my “practice” and begin my PRACTICE. Meditation is best experienced as a dress rehearsal for how we will be throughout our day.
  5. I practice resilience from life’s disappointments. How will I be spacious, gracious and constructive?
  6. I practice seeing who I am working to grow into in 1, 3, 5, 10,  20, or 30 years. Who might I become? What might my life be like? What would an amazing future look and feel like?
  7. I practice embracing the moment. Not resisting or labeling what I am feeling or experiencing is a challenge—and I am up for it! How can I flow with what is happening while working to improve the situation?

My invitation to you is to notice when you are using your imagination against yourself. Most of us are constantly beat up by an unruly and negative force inside our heads that steals our joy, reduces our Presence, and separates us from life and those we love. Instead, let’s practice using our imagination as a tool for the good and the growth that might be.

Let’s create new neural pathways in our repose that we can slide into during the day…and grow into a stronger, more resilient, and alive version of what we might be. That’s the power of imagination when harnessed—the primer for new ways of being, practiced ahead of time and with intention.

How do you want to grow? Who do you want to become? How might you change your world and the world at large? Let your imagination be your ally in this process. Imagine, practice, and create a new pattern you want to be a habitual way of being.

 

Cheering you on,
Rachel

 

The One Thing You Cannot Delegate

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

“Everything can be delegated except being YOU.”

 

The One Thing You Cannot Delegate

Hello Loves,

As we begin the new year of 2021, many people (including me!) have their minds on what to prioritize for the coming year. I do believe in goals but they are nothing more than a wish list if we don’t create new habits to embody the changes we desire. While health, money, relationships, and career are favorite categories for making progress, I would like to suggest a different lens through which to view this decision: Being.

Everything can be delegated except being You. I mean, really being the You that you feel like you were meant to be. Perhaps my top priority in life is to be Myself. Not to be my reactive, historical, or conditioned self…but the woman I can uniquely embody. My greatest joys come from how I feel, and how I am able to serve, when being that woman. I love, love, love being around people that are passionately and uniquely themselves. Children, animals, and the bold, vulnerable, and creative among us show us what this is….and it’s why we feel drawn to them. They are free. They are not posturing for rank and posing for perceptions….they just Are. And it’s so inspiring and powerful.

Recently I was catching up with a friend and we were talking about a stressful time she was going through and all the myriad of things that need attention and change right now. It can feel overwhelming and discouraging —and we all have been there more than a few times! What came out of my mouth landed deeply for both of us (it bubbled out of me and landed brightly): “the only thing you really have to do is be YOU—everything else will fall into place.”

Let that land for a minute. Your top priority is to cultivate and embody the fullest, truest expression of You and out of that everything else will fall into place. In truth, every change we desire begins with being different….then taking action to create a new outcome. The being is first and foremost. A different way of being creates different actions that produce the desired results. The Divine spark shines differently through us all.

When you are You, you are in alignment to enjoy life and share your gifts with the world. When you feel out of sorts, it’s so much harder to do those things. So, what are the habits that you need to inculcate in order to give yourself a better chance of being You? What changes to your living and working environment need to be made in order to come into alignment with yourself? What failed approaches need to be retired and upgraded to life giving ones?

Some days we have the bandwidth, the intentionality, and circumstances align to make this all possible at a pretty high level. Other days, the best we can do is ask ourselves, moment to moment, “in this moment, how can I BE in the most loving and authentic way?” Whatever effort we make will move us forward. And, compassion is the best fertilizer for growth.

As you reflect on the year to come, I hope whatever you settle on deepens your traction towards being the unique gift You are to the world. We all need YOU and are begging you to show us who you really are….

 

Cheering you on,
Rachel

 

How to Be Really Healthy, No Matter Your Age

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

“Chronological age is related to our birthday but biological age is related to our habits.”

 

How to Be Really Healthy, No Matter Your Age

Hello Loves,

So often people set expectations and goals based on numbers. You have likely heard or said these things:

  • It’s all downhill after 40
  • I want to weigh “x” pounds
  • This is how many calories I can eat today
  • This is how much I need to exercise to loose weight
  • This is a normal problem for someone my age

Our thoughts are very powerful because they frame our reality and expectations…and those things determine the actions we do or don’t take to change things.

I believe that:

  • Symptoms aren’t merely annoying or inevitable—they are the way our body is trying to get our attention about something that needs attention.
  • Illness isn’t random.
  • Every health challenge is an opportunity to learn how to heal, balance, understand, and nurture our body back to health.
  • That we can maintain excellent health through all ages and stages of life.
  • All challenges, health related or otherwise, are here to grow us.

We have the choice whether to view our body in a superstitious way (ignoring meaningful cause and effect can be understood) or in a self responsible way (we can learn more about ourselves and how to re-balance).

Chronological age is related to our birthday but biological age is related to our habits. We can care for ourselves in ways that make our biological age 10-20 years younger or older than our chronological age.

Body weight is a far less important metric than body composition. Our percentage of lean and adipose tissue is the more telling statistic. And the amount of fat (therefore inflammation) carried in our abdomen is even more crucial to our degree of health. Our weight can remain the same yet we might shift from lighter (and inflammatory) fat cells to heavier (and metabolically helpful) muscle tissue.

500 calories of low glycemic calories act totally differently in our body than 500 calories from a fast food meal. The way the body responds to simple carbohydrates -vs- fats is also vastly different.

We are better served to study our blood work, our body composition, and our hormone balance. We can learn daily by noticing our energy levels, our urine ph, our sweat, our breath and our digestion….all of which are communicating valuable feedback about our body’s vitality.

Our wellbeing is the flowering of our level of attentiveness and responsiveness to our body. Our bodies are always trying to get our attention and let us know what is and isn’t working.

The secret to thriving is to listen and respond accordingly. May you deepen your appreciation for your body’s communications and become a responsive listener. Our body has so much to teach us about our Spirit, our mind, our emotions, and how all of those things are instrumental in regaining our balance. When we view our body’s “symptoms” as meaningful communication, we can then learn how to take action that shows “we get it”—and then we can take action from a place of love.

 

Cheering you on,
Rachel

 

5 Tips for Eating Well and Staying Slim Over the Holidays

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

“I prefer to indulge a bit, but not so much that I trade indulgence now… for deprivation later!”

 

5 Tips for Eating Well and Staying Slim Over the Holidays

Happy Holidays to you and yours!

It’s easy to expect a few pounds to be added every holiday season. Most people gain an average of 5-8 extra pounds over the holidays. I prefer to indulge a bit, but not so much that I trade indulgence now for deprivation later! For me, gaining 2-3lbs is my sweet spot for holiday indulging. That easily disappears in a week or so. Here are some tried and tested strategies for creating a healthy eating framework:

1. Pre-Decide Your Meals

Start by deciding what and how much you are going to eat the next day. When you pre-decide your meals and portions, you are protecting yourself from emotional or habitual eating that doesn’t serve you physically or emotionally. Know what you need and enjoy your meals slowly and mindfully.

2. Eat Meals Rather Than Grazing

A good rule of thumb is 2-3 meals per day in an 8-12 hour eating window. This allows the digestive system time to rest and repair. Snacking all day sets you up for a blood sugar roller coaster (unless you have a medical condition and have been advised to eat on a more frequent schedule). Eating several satisfying meals per day is an important pause to rest and enjoy the moment rather than mindlessly grazing on food throughout the day/night.

3. Consume Plenty of Nutrient Dense Produce

Aim to eat 1/3 of your volume as raw fruits/veggies. Berries at breakfast, sliced veggies with lunch, and salad with dinner are examples of how to do this.

Add another 1/3 of your volume as cooked veggies. This could be greens stirred into your morning eggs, a bowl of veggie soup at lunch, and a stir fry at dinner.

If you eat 2/3 of your meals as produce, you will be in an alkaline dominant diet and your body will receive optimal nutrients levels, eliminate wastes efficiently, and you will feel full with the fiber content.

4. Curate Your Fat Consumption

Have quality fat with each meal. Some of the best choices are:

  • Avocado
  • Nuts and seeds
    • The nutrients are most easily absorbed and easily digested if these have been soaked and dehydrated. Organic nuts and seeds that have been optimized in this way can be purchased from WildlyOrganic.com. My favorites from this website are the Brazil nuts, Pecans, Walnuts, and Sunflower seeds. I like to have a mix of these available in my purse, in the car, etc. At a minimum, check the packaging information to make sure that your nuts and seeds haven’t been cooked in one of the inflammatory oils (see below) or have added salt (unless it’s pink/sea salt).
  • Pasture Raised Butter
  • Extra Virgin olive oil, avocado oil, sesame oil, and coconut oil are all good choices.
    • Buy these oils in glass (never plastic) containers that are dark green or black so that the light doesn’t damage the fat. Be very careful not to ingest rancid nuts/seeds or oils. Rid your diet and purge from your pantry and fridge any of these inflammatory oils: Peanut, canola, corn, cottonseed, safflower, sunflower, and soy oil. Unfortunately, they are cheap and ubiquitous in nearly all packaged cookies, crackers, salad dressings, and chips. They rapidly age you by increasing inflammation and damaging your cells. I first learned about this 20 years ago from a Harvard professor and over the past 10 years, the research is flooding in backing the original assertion about these oils. Many people experience dramatic improvement in skin conditions, like eczema, from removing the 6 damaging oils above and replacing them with the more salubrious forms of fat suggested above.

5. Have Protein With Each Meal.

Be picky about your sources. Choose pasture raised eggs and chicken, wild-caught fish, and pasture raised meats. Fresh nuts and seeds are awesome (if you are a woman of childbearing age look into Seed Cycling to optimize you hormonal health). Lentils, beans, and whole grains can also be consumed for protein. You are what you eat. High quality foods create healthy cells. Observe and feel into your body’s indicators (your hair and nail quality & energy levels are revealing in this manner) and experiment to see how much protein you do best with right now. Our body’s needs change over time. Be flexible to change your protein sources and amounts based on your needs now-vs-others theories or your past patterns.

Learn to read your body and develop a good “listening” relationship to your inner guidance. As you progress from a top down approach of trying to control your body, to a loving partnership of sensing and responding to your body, you will be guided to new approaches that balance and optimize your well being.

When we lovingly care for ourselves through our dietary choices, we naturally reach and maintain our healthiest weight and best health.

Wishing you a delicious and balanced holiday season!

Cheering you on,
Rachel

 

My Top 10 Ten Tips for Gorgeous Skin

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

That’s my 46 year old skin! No fillers, No Injections 🙂

 

“Aging beautifully has a lot to do with nurturing our beauty from the inside out. “

 

My Top 10 Tips for Gorgeous skin.….

I just finished uploading my Gorgeous Skincare for Life course and wanted to share a preview of the wonderful content with you! Skincare is healthcare.
 
Our skin is our largest organ and it mirrors our overall health, especially what is happening in our digestive system and immune system (80% is in our intestinal lining). Aging beautifully has a lot to do with nurturing our beauty from the inside out.
 
We can never find a skincare or makeup product that will effect our skin’s beauty more profoundly than our healthy diet, targeted supplementation, refreshing sleep, active lifestyle, and circulation enhancing habits. So let’s take a peak at my top tips….
 
  1. Protect/rebuild your digestive tract with a colostrum supplement (I like Sovereign Labs Colostrum Powder). For 6 months I took it first and last thing and then for maintenance I take it once a day. About once a month, I do a 24-36 hr fast and I will take 2T. 4x a day to stabilize my blood sugar and provide extra building blocks for my body to repair during my fast.
  2. Take a probiotic daily with 2 or 3 of your meals. I like Dr. Tobias and Garden of Life brands. Having a healthy gut biome is the cornerstone of eradicating skin problems. Feeding the good bacteria is key. This will likely improve digestion and elimination as well. When our skin is unhappy it’s the gut bugs that likely started it!
  3. Reduce the bad gut bacteria (Candida, SIBO/small intestine bacterial overgrowth, etc.) by taking one teaspoon of coconut oil late at night and again before resuming eating the next day. Keep it 1-2 hrs away from food to maximize its effectiveness in the intestine. After 7 -10 days the improvement in digestion (and skin!) will be obvious.
  4. Eat a low glycemic diet of organic whole foods. Avoid simple carbs in all forms: refined grains, alcohol, sugars, and sweet drinks. I promise, after you get past the initial withdrawal phase of your sugar detox, you won’t miss them. And your health will improve, your healthy weight will reveal itself as your norm, and you will feel fantastic!
  5. Exfoliate at least 3x week. Gently dry brush, use your body scrub, and gentle facial exfoliant. When we gently slough off the top layer of skin, we stimulate new cells to be produced, increase circulation, and improve our glow. The key words are gentle and consistent.
  6. Massage your skin daily. Use a gua sha, fascia blaster, or your strong hands and firmly massage your skin in upward/circular strokes with a good oil. There are a plethora of facial oils on the market now for this very purpose. You can find good almond, apricot, jojoba, or luxury body oils as well. The combination of stimulating circulation and adding moisture is great for skin.
  7. Sleep well! I suggest a digital sunset of 7pm (no screens after this time—most nights).  Living by soft/candle light to wind down and cue the production of melatonin for good sleep is soothing. Create a sleep ritual you love to unwind your mind and body. Getting your beauty sleep is more than a phrase…its a reality.
  8. Invest in gentle and effective skin care. I exfoliate gently in the morning and do a 3-5 min face oil and gua sha routine on my face and neck. Then I dab on eye serum. At night its a gentle cleanse, serum, eye cream, another face/neck massage and extra cream if my skin is thirsty. I use a mask 2-3 times a week for extra care.
  9. Invest in a few all star makeup products and use them subtly. I like Westman Atelier foundation stick, Victoria Beckham eye liner, and Chantecaille Lipsticks. I also like to comb my brows and pat on an organic fragrance balm. Simple but elevating routines are easier to keep up over time.
  10. Be active in your day. Walk across the house rather than yelling for a family member, take the stairs, clean and beautify your space, cook something from scratch most meals, take walks to connect rather than sitting to eat/drink, and prioritize your sex life. Being active is key. That said, I incorporate “exercise” before breakfast and again before dinner most days. It varies from 20 -60 minutes and I flow with what my body needs intensity wise. Have a good workout plan but be flexible so that you don’t get in an “all or nothing” state. A gentle stroll or yoga on the floor still counts, and will eventually get you closer to more intense forms of exercise. Consistency creates long term results.
 

Skincare is a sensuous and rewarding aspect of self care. I hope you found a few new ways to pamper yourself. If you are interested in more tips on aging well check out my new course here.

 
Wishing you the pleasures of “être bien dans sa peau”/to feel good in one’s own skin.
 

Cheering you on,
Rachel

 

Self Discipline, Burnout, & Balance

Posted on by RachelBeckWellness

 “When we notice a momentum strongly pulling us towards one way of being, we can be self aware enough to question that momentum and query if another approach would better suit us. “

 

Discipline is the key to freedom. Until it’s not.….

Being disciplined is the key to achieving our dreams, caring for our health, our belongings, and our schedule. Without discipline we are left to our whims and, we all know that whims don’t steer the ship to the shore of our best lives. Discipline is the key to freedom. Until it’s not.

There can come a point we are about to bust!

We have been super scheduled, food aware, exercise consistent, and budget adhering. Gradually, or all of the sudden, it feels like life is a slow trudge of obligation and responsible actions. And when we feel our lives loosing their joy, one place to look is at the balance between discipline and intelligent indulgence in our life.

What is intelligent indulgence you may ask? Intelligent indulgence doesn’t send the scale up 5lb this week because we go on a carb bender. It doesn’t mean telling off that person you have been judiciously bitting your tongue and accessing your diplomacy with. Intelligent indulgence feels good in the moment and the next day. It means choosing to bend rather than break when you feel burnout. Some of my favorite ways include: cancelling the days responsibilities and doing whatever I want (once a month at least), savoring a high quality treat, getting extra sleep, skipping my HIIT workout and taking a slow stroll in nature, organizing or re-arranging an area of my home, reading something I love, looking through old journals/scrapbooks, and baking something delicious, staying up later than usual to enjoy something special.

What’s on your list?

Life is about balance and becoming well rounded. If we spend years developing our discipline it serves us greatly….to a point. And then it becomes a limiting factor in our growth. At some point, we have to say “Well done, that box has been checked. I can create and execute a plan till kingdom come and I am feeling dry and burned out.” At that point (or hopefully before you feel on the brink of burnout), you have the challenge of rounding out your other half and following your passions, indulging, and being spontaneous. You can always keep your frame work of discipline, but now is the time to put some meat on those bones. It’s time to fill out your form with trusting the foundation.

Those that are lead by their passion and feelings have the other challenge: to buckle down and commit and see things through. They need to create a plan, follow it on the days they don’t feel motivated even a little bit, and do the work. Whims don’t build dreams or solid relationships. Commitment does. Finding and maintaining your “why” and then acting in accordance with it is the key to rising up the tides of shifting motivation and alternating focus. You build lasting results with constant actions over time.

So, which of these is most important?

The answer is: the one you least follow. We all have tendencies to one or the other. Maturity is about becoming well rounded. If we veer one way, we need to develop traction in the balancing category. Ideally, we have a whole menu of ways of being to draw from. Most people develop and stay with one or two. Those who put the effort into creating a menu of approaches are those with the most freedom of expression and the ability to create a variety of things.

When we notice a momentum strongly pulling us towards one way of being, we can be self aware enough to question that momentum and query if another approach would better suit us. Another way to tell what flavor to draw from is burnout (if we have been too structured) and stalling out (if we have been too laissez-faire). We can read our moods, our personal momentum, and our results and try acting from a different “fuel” if you will.

Freedom not to stay the same, be the same, and get the same results is found in this self awareness. After many years of being highly disciplined, I came to the point that it was no longer serving me. I craved spontaneity, prioritizing play BEFORE work instead of after, and enjoying life felt necessary on a level that was unprecedented. But, I found that balancing my disciplines with more pleasure, relaxation, and spontaneity was actually the key to preserving my discipline. We cannot draw from a well indefinitely. To balance my discipline was to replenish my well.

Balance is key in life and we cannot fully mature without developing opposing and complimentary abilities. It’s scary and liberating to cross over to the less familiar side of the river and trust that we won’t loose the part of ourself that we know best and trust best. At some point, we can recognize that if we are to become a woman we must abandoned our habitual way of being for a holistic way of being. And in that brave balancing we become whole.

Cheering you on,
Rachel