3 Tips to Make a "Disaster Day" Not So Bad

We've all had them.  Disaster Days. The toddler screams for half an hour in the middle of the night.  You get all of the morning tasks done and are leaving just on time when the smoke detector goes off because the battery is low.  The dog loses his mind and the toddler follows suite and you can't get the darn thing off the wall or throw it far enough in the yard to make it stop screaming at you.  You get to work (late), but have the wrong set of keys and can't get in.  You get home and the toddler has boycotted a nap. You get him in the crib and the dog pukes in his room.  He finally falls asleep as the dentist office calls to say you are in the process of missing your appointment.  AARRRGGG!

So how do you survive without dipping into the vodka?  (Ok, well maybe just one could make this funny sooner than a couple of weeks from now).  Three survival tips that got me through today:

1.  Thank the people around you.  It's not your fault, it's not their fault.  Sometimes things just don't go well and likely they are not quite as worked up as you are about it.  Some unfortunate things may have happened and some inconveniences may have affected you and those around you.  Gratitude helps to take the edge off of it.  

2.  Keep it in perspective.  The world is pretty kooky around us with natural disasters striking rapid fire, international tensions mounting, and differences of opinion about how to handle any of it causing turmoil in relationships. There are some bad days that are life-altering and devastating.  There are other bad days won't affect you tomorrow (or hopefully not much).  If it is the minor variety, don't add to it by getting a speeding ticket (or worse) as you rush around like a maniac.  The pain of stubbing your toe when you are already mad feels like an explosion.

3.  Do something small that makes you feel good.  Maybe a good idea to forget accomplishing something major.  Better to take a breather and refresh to avoid further breakdown.  (Seriously, it obviously isn't your day, so quit while you are ahead).  Cry if you need to, and then do something minor that feels positive.  I chose to strut around a little in my new shoes and change the laces like I like them (because I'm a nerd) and gave the dog kisses.  And now it's time to move on. 

Body Balance During Pregnancy

Pregnancy provides a powerful time to nurture yourself as your child develops.  The following stretches and exercises will support your body and mind during your pregnancy.  

I felt so thankful when I was pregnant that I wasn’t in charge of the checklist of growth:

• heart today - check
• lungs tomorrow - check
• skeletal structure - check
• male or female?? Ahh male, ok sex organs - check. 

Our bodies are so intelligent and so powerful that without the first thought from us, they complete this phenomenal task.  Through it all we try to sleep, eat, and think positively to provide the health and structure for it all to happen.  Congratulations for hosting one of the most incredible events of your life, the creation of another life.  

There are so many emotions surrounding what goes on in your body.  Your body takes cues from these emotions and sets up a series of reactions to get itself ready for its next step. 

One of the emotions that commonly partners with pregnancy is uncertainty.  Who is this person living in my body?  Will she share my love of sunsets?  What color are his eyes?  Will my pet get along with her?  Through all of these and countless more unknown elements, we can try to find strength and power to counter balance the questions.  There is research out there to suggest that even if we don’t feel strong or powerful, we can fake it until we make it and our bodies will respond positively to the message of strength.  

These two movements that can help you to support that physical message of power and control.  They also support the sides of your body, which are acting as the glue to hold you together as your body starts to focus forward on the baby.

·         Teapot with Dowel:

·          Half Kneel with Dowel Twist:

The second area of focus is the forward fold that wants to happen as you talk with and snuggle the sweet thing in your belly.  The following will balance the curling in and keep you standing tall. Both of these give you a chance to focus on one side of the body at a time.  This will prepare you for when your little one arrives and you carry him in one arm as you do something with the other.  Just a tidbit, become ambidextrous and alternate arms as much as possible.

Chest Stretch 2 ways:

 ·          Three Point Row:

The next point of focus is the back.  The back has powerful potential, but only when supported by your abdominals and glutes.  When the spine is out of balance, it is difficult to be as strong as you can be.  The following movements will keep you away from the “waddle” that can happen as your backside loses stability.  Just because your joints are getting lax as a natural and necessary part of pregnancy, doesn’t mean your muscles have to follow suite.  

·         Half Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch:

·         Plie Squat:

The last and most important piece is your core.  Without core stability, you are putting the rest of your body at risk for injury.  Abdominal exercises don’t have to all be crunches, which I don’t recommend during pregnancy or just after birth.  Focus on the subtle stability that your body uses throughout the day. 

·         Pelvic floor – Kegels and gentle bouncing:

·         Transverse Abdominis

During your pregnancy and beyond, I wish for you:

• Confidence in your body, your mind, and your community.  You can do this.  It will not be perfect, yet it will be incredible
• The ability to ask for and accept help.  Being a martyr at this point is unnecessary and painful.  There will be enough of that already.  
•  The ability to give to yourself.  It will become increasingly difficult to see past the infant in your arms.  Practice taking moments for yourself, if only to better prepare you to be there for your child. 

Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of your journey!

The Biggest Beet for your Buck

 
I have been looking for ways to stretch my budget further recently and by far my biggest expense is food.  I work in the same shopping center as Whole Foods, easily making it the most convenient venue for me to shop.  I have long defended them from the Whole Paycheck tag insisting that if you are shopping literally for whole foods - produce, meat, eggs, etc - you are paying the same as anywhere else.  However if you are buying packaged foods, sure, go ahead and pay plenty more than you would elsewhere.  I decided to test my belief and actually took a list and a clipboard to Whole Foods, Vitamin Cottage, and Sprouts.  I am a believer in buying organic if your budget allows, so I went to the places that offer the deepest selections of organics.  My list started with the contents of a Monday shop for the week and I added some staples that might generally be purchased like coffee, canned tomatoes, olive and coconut oils, etc.

The winner was Vitamin Cottage for a savings of $10.62 for the week over Whole Foods.  Sprouts came in next for a savings of $7.43 for the week.  That is a difference of $552 and $386 respectively for the year!  And I didn't even get into supplements or body products.

Now before we get too carried away, I will still be shopping at Whole Foods for protein.  The meat selection is expansive, grass-fed, and cheaper with some selections (grass fed ground beef). There are also some odd discrepancies, such as the 16oz pre-washed spring mix at Whole Foods is cheaper than the 10oz spring mix of the same brand at Vitamin Cottage.  Sprouts' dairy is nearly $2 more expensive than Whole Foods for the yogurt I like.  I would love to know more about grocery store merchandising, but for now I am just going to try to be smarter in my purchases where time allows.  Click here to see the actual list and pricing. 

Next stop - Costco!