Salt Water & Stress Away

Okay, this post is going to be a little different than my other posts.  I'm going to get a little "deep & insightful".  I hope you'll indulge me for a bit.  :)  For most of my adult life I have been an emotional eater.  It took me until almost 4 years ago to admit that.  But it is true.  Any emotion seemed to draw me to food......and not the right kinds of food.  I would always reach for the rich comfort food.  Upset = food, sad = food, stressed = food, anxious = food, happy = food.......you get the idea.  I finally came to the realization that while it is good to enjoy food, I needed to find another outlet for my emotions.  I don't want to pretend like I have mastered this......far from it.  BUT coming to the realization has helped.  Most of the time now I can make myself not reach to food for comfort. They say "The cure for anything is salt water, SWEAT, TEARS, or the SEA."........ the older I get the truer I find this to be.  I don't know about you, but there have been a few times in my life when I have felt a NEED to be at the beach.  Of course, since we're not actually close to the sea I have to rely on sweat & tears the most. So, now I'm able to make self reach for sweat or tears (have a good cry &/or go for a power walk or run) most of the time instead of food!!  There really is truth to the healing powers of salt water.  The tears & sweat are a great way to purge out the negative emotions.  Still every once in a while the need for the sea calls. But, can I tell you something so lovely? When you can't get to the sea, you can bring the sea to you!!! Stress Away............this essential oil blend is like having that tropical paradise in a bottle.  It has been one of my favorites since the beginning of my oil journey!!! So, the next time you're having a stressful, trying day or when your emotions are raw & you feel like you need to go to the beach, pull out your bottle of Stress Away!! One quick whiff & you'll be transported to a salty way of life feeling.......and within minutes you'll begin to feel the stress & tension melt away!!! Stress Away is beautiful in the diffuser. You can also apply Stress Away topically & it makes a lovely (& incredibly beneficial) perfume or you can add it along with lavender to Epsom Salts for a fabulously relaxing bath. Did you know with its lime & vanilla flavor, Stress Away is also a great addition to your glass of water or your daily Ningxia Red? According to Young Living Stress Away essential oil blend is a natural solution created to combat normal stresses that creep into everyday life. We ALL know what that is like, right? Stress Away is the & vanilla pure. It also includes copaiba & lavender to reduce mental rigidity & restore equilibrium. Featuring powerful plant constituents, such as the cedrol found in cedarwood & the eugenol that occurs naturally in vanilla, Stress Away can help induce relaxation & reduce occasional nervous tension.

Now, can we talk a little more about salt water?  I didn't know until recently that there were so many benefits to salt water.  After doing some research & reading, I can understand why during high stress, emotional times I might feel the "need" to be at the beach.  Being near the sea (salt water) really is therapeutic!!!  In my reading I have found that salt water has a history of therapeutic use.  Historically it was used by the Greeks & Romans.  They used it in a warm water application as it could penetrate the skin more easily when it is warm.  This makes it have a very relaxing & regenerative effect on the body.  It is also known that the American Indians that resided close to the Great Salt Lake in Utah would regularly drink small amounts of inland sea water.  This practice was found to enhance their herbal remedies.  These are just a few examples of people in history that have known about the health benefits of salt water.  So, it really seems to be true that the cure for anything is salt water......sweat, tears, or the sea.

I love having these alternate, healthier ways for dealing with my emotions.  Self acceptance has been a long time coming, but I'm finally in that stage of my life.  I think.  ;)  Seriously, I think it will be  a lifetime struggle for me.  But I'm getting there.  And the more I make the right decisions to take care of myself, the more I am able to love & accept myself.  And with that comes great freedom & power.  It is a kind of freedom & power that I want to instill in my girls.

  

So, let's talk a bit about "sweat."We all know that we need to exercise.  Right?  I think we all   understand that exercise makes us healthier, but do we really understand what all it does for our body??  I know I didn't.  And after turning 40 in May, I'm just now beginning to grasp the real importance of daily exercise.  I'm sure we all realize that daily exercise will tone our body so we can wear , that favorite outfit.  And we know that it strengthens muscles, keeps bones strong, & improves skin.  But did you realize there are even more benefits of daily exercise?  How about these........ increased relaxation, better sleep & mood, & strong immune function. So, there are way too many reasons that I should be exercising daily for me to just shrug it off & not do it!!  If I want to be able to take care of my family (& I do!!)  then I first have to take care of myself.  It has taken me a long time to realize that.  Another benefit to exercising daily & taking care of myself is that it gives my girls a good example to follow.  I want them to learn to take care of themselves.  We all want to give our kids the best life we can.  I think teaching them to accept & love themselves is a great start.      

This didn't start out as a goal that I wrote down for my #1step this month.  But I do think it is a great step to take.  We all need to love ourselves & take care of ourselves. This post ended up much more convoluted & twisted, but I hope it's been helpful to you in some way!!  I'd love for your to share your thoughts with me.......leave me a comment or email me or message me on Facebook!!!