How to fight stress is something we need to address every day. Stress can make us do funny things with our actions, words, and even our bodies. Stress is something we live with minute by minute, and not all stress is bad, but we need to find ways how to fight stress when it is harmful to us. Through personal experience, I’ve found some stress fighters packed with a punch. They’re so simple that ANYONE can do it TODAY and get results immediately.
Stress happens
Stress can be sneaky or it can be a slap in the face. My face stung after I accidentally deleted my entire website. The uninvited hot, prickly stress wave crashed on my face when I saw ‘File Not Found’. It’s in these stressful moments when we start talking out loud to ourselves, “WHAT THE? NO!!”
Building my own website and blog was my choice. I wanted the challenge and I wanted a little control…guilty! Doing something like this requires time, perseverance, learning, failing, trying again, and creativity. It has been a journey of gratifying moments and ‘oh crap’ sessions. That night was one of those “Why am I doing this?” sessions. One accidental click, GONE! There have been times when I just want to give up, but something inside of me says, “Come on Christy, keep moving forward, this will matter someday”.
Stress is like a leech that won’t detach.
Stress saps the life out of us. So how do we manage this life-sucking Jabba the Hutt from our bodies? First of all, I hate leeches. Years ago I went on a fishing trip in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota. It was an amazing trip, but guess what we used as bait? Leeches! I screamed every time I TRIED to bait my hook. The leech latched onto my finger…not cool! Do you think vigorous shaking of my hand and screaming got the leech off? Leeches don’t have ears. My husband had to pull it off for me… every time.
What if we could see stress attached to our bodies? We’d probably do a better job at managing it or at least knowing how to manage stress. Stress is the cause of many ailments. It’s because cortisol, the stress hormone, has a heyday in our bodies. Chronic high levels of cortisol contribute to IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), heart disease, anxiety, high blood pressure, hormonal imbalances, autoimmune disorders, sleep disturbances, and the list goes on. Those health ailments you are dealing with might be because of stress…just saying it’s very possible.
Are your stress fighters working?
The way to detach stress is to naturally fight back with things that decrease those levels, right? Easier said than done. So get this…some people will use things to manage their stress that causes MORE stress! I’m talking about eating a pint of ice cream, sugar-filled gluten-rich desserts, a bag of salty snacks, alcohol, smokes, or pills. Sure, in the short run, those things might help numb the issue; but in the long term, the leech is feasting on those inflammatory substances. All those foods inflame your innards. Without awareness or portion control, that inflammation can lead to physical issues = STRESS! It’s a vicious cycle. Believe me, I know!
Back to my website for a second. I wanted to fix my website immediately. But all I could do at that moment was intertwine my fingers and pray. I needed someone to pull the leech off. So why not ask God? As calmly as I could I prayed, “Dear Gracious God…wait a second, OH GOD. AH! I DELETED MY WEBSITE!! HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT. PLEASE! AMEN.” Not the best prayer, but who is judging?
My Awakening
It felt as if my fingertips went numb. Whoa, what is happening to me? God is that you? An angelic song filled my house as divine power struck my body. Light beams shot out of my fingertips. I started levitating. Wait. Wait. That’s Beauty & the Beast. See how stress can make you think of funny things. As much as I wanted the Beauty and the Beast resurrection, I knew it wasn’t in the plan. God did answer my prayer, but in a way I didn’t expect. He nudged me to move.
Christy, manage the stress, before managing the problem. I closed my eyes; inhaled a deep breath and exhaled slowly. I was afraid to touch the keyboard, so I took that as a sign to step away. My desire to go outside to sit next to my favorite tree was unstoppable. Strange? Eh. Kind of. But with good reason…
According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, spending even just five minutes around trees or in green spaces helps lower blood pressure, reduces stress, improves mood, instills focus, accelerates healing, increases energy, and improves sleep. And you wonder why I craved to get outside…
The article goes on to say, “Numerous studies show that… simply sitting looking at the trees reduces…stress-related hormones… Looking at pictures of trees has a similar, but less dramatic, effect.” Get outdoors and if you can’t sit imagine you are in nature.
I trusted that instinct and sat next to my blue spruce, whom I named Bruce. Its soft yet firm pine needles combed my sweaty palms. The sky was black and peppered with stars. My body relaxed. Heart quieted. I was reminded of how big our world was and how I was making this little mistake bigger than the world! Within a matter of minutes, a calm came over me. “Hi God, it’s me again… thanks for getting me outside. I needed that.”
How to manage stress: 5 stress fighters most people forget
#1 Admit it. Say, “I’m stressed out. ___ is causing my stress.”
#2 Say a prayer… Your Creator may need to remind you of something.
#3 Find your happy OUTDOOR place and go there… the beach, woods, prairie, park, yard…Go barefoot a.k.a “Earthing” and SMILE.
#4 Create an environment that promotes peace. Pictures of the beach, mountains, trees, sunrise, a garden…whatever nature scene speaks to you. Put a picture or two in your office, cubical, or wallet. Have it handy.
#5 Incorporate an outdoor recess at work or home, whether it’s exercising, reading the paper, walking the dog, playing with the kids, a lunch break, or just getting outside.
In conclusion
This may sound too simple, but you’ll find it’ll make a BIG impact. The next morning I mended my website mishap. It so happened, that I found a backup on the server. But I wouldn’t have been able to figure that out without a clear head, a good night’s sleep, and a little time outside with my trees. Do your existence a favor, get outside. When you feel stressed, experiment and go outside for 10-20 minutes and see what happens to your stress level.
Before you go, check out these other posts about stress:
If you want to know how to be more creative it starts with understanding the purpose of creativity. How to be creative is meant to be yourself. Taping into our God-given talents and abilities helps us naturally be creative. A big part of how to be creative is permitting yourself to let go of the world and unlock the abilities God gave you. Doing that can be scary, however, getting the right frame of mind might help ease you into your creative side. Holley Gerth, the Christian author, said it perfectly, “Your dream is a gift God gives you. What you make of it is your gift to Him.” This involves creativity!
Don’t get discouraged in how to be creative
I’ll never forget when I was 10 years old; I reached for the flour in an overhead cupboard. My fingertips were millimeters away from the canister. One… more… bit… CRASH! I was successful in getting the flour down, but it wasn’t in the canister. I stood there and sulked as my older sister laughed at me and called me “Casper”. Creativity can get messy.
Back then my dream was to become a baker. I loved baking cookies, muffins, and quick breads. Mixing simple ingredients with my signature twist was so fun. Unfortunately, it’s harder for me to bake these days. Since I’ve gone gluten-free it makes it more challenging to bake, but I still try and experiment with what I have. 🙂 My baking dream might have gotten messy with my diet restrictions but it hasn’t terminated my need to create.
How to know if you’re being creative
One way to know when you are using your creative side is when you lose track of time. It’s those moments in between clock numbers when you truly feel alive. Whether it’s cookies, a garden, a writing piece, or simply drawing a picture on your child’s lunch sack. It’s gratifying to see what your creativity can create.
Why creativity is important: don’t miss this!
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Creativity isn’t just for fun. Creative thinking can solve problems, help us perform better at our jobs, help with depression, and help make a difference in people’s lives. Look at music, art, dance, and literature… what are those talents trying to do? Matthew Barnet has a great answer from his book, The Cause Within You.
He says, “Fulfilled artists do not paint or sculpt for the sake of creating more art. They do it to move people and challenge them to see the world differently. “
The scary part about creativity
From CreatingMinds.org they say our creativity fades away when we don’t use it. As in the Bible, it says, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything…” Matthew 5:13. (NIV)
In our busy lives, it’s important to take a time out to be creative; and to take a small step in becoming the unique person we were intended to be not just for ourselves, but for the sake of others. More importantly, using our creativity is an excellent way to love God! He gave you the ability and talent, use it to give thanks to Him.
All in all
The creativity flame still glows in us. Feed the fire within. There is no better time to get our hands busy; our minds will love it, our hearts will feel good, and we may spark something in someone’s minutes.
How to build self-esteem is so critically important, that it WILL affect your future. Talk about a simple act with big impacts! Do more than exist today by working on your confidence and self-esteem. I’m not saying for you to walk around and boast about yourself. The people who have the greatest self-esteem are those who listen more and talk less. I have 3 tips to help us know how to build confidence and self esteem right now.
Lately, I have been reviewing my life and asking myself if I’m happy with how I’ve been living. In most areas of my life I can confidently say Yes, I love it. But in others, I can’t say yes. And when I can’t say yes, I start comparing myself to others in that particular area. And then I find myself with low self-esteem that seems paralyzing. Ugh, friends, I hate this when this happens!
Comparing and Self-esteem
Yes, I’m jumping right to the Bible. There are many Biblical truths about self-esteem, we are God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10), we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14), and we are chosen (John 15:16) to name a few. But there is one verse that really strikes me. Before I mention it, I want you to know that when we start comparing and trying to be like everyone else… just to be liked…that’s when low self-esteem makes its way to our thoughts, words, and actions. Is that what you want? I, personally, do not want you in this place. I’ve been there and it made me gain weight, brought on depression, and affected my path in life. Live in the freedom with who you are today and every day in moving forward.
A good verse to memorize
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world. Instead, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is…His good, pleasing, and perfect will. Romans 12:2 (NIV)
This verse is a good one to memorize, especially if you find yourself comparing and going along with the crowd. Not to mention how to build self-esteem and confidence. Claim this scripture as yours. Pray it, say it, and be aware of what you are putting into your mind. I was finding myself comparing my pattern of life to others’ patterns of life. The reason I started to even do that was because of two areas in my life that weren’t like everyone else’s, my career and family size (I had a miscarriage).
The comparing game
Seeing other people climb the corporate ladder, own a thriving small business, and stay in the job for years on end, can affect us. The problem is comparing. And how can I even start to compare? Sham on me! Everyone’s life is so incredibly different. We don’t know what others’ childhood was like, we don’t know their educational background, their physical health, we don’t know what happens at home, and we don’t know the problems they deal with, so what right do we have to compare or judge for that matter? We don’t have a right. These “successful” people may be comparing themselves to you and want what you have!
So what do we do?
We mind our own business and focus on the goals we are passionate about. Our job is to enhance our talents, abilities, and gifts and to know how to love others by using what we’ve got. Our Creator (God) made us to be us and no one else. We need to trust in Him to embrace who we are and love ourselves. When we love ourselves, we can love others the way we love ourselves (Mark 12:31). Yet, there is one thing we must have to move forward, motivation.
3 Tips to help stop comparing and how to build self-esteem:
1. Pray for your eyes to be opened to the talents, abilities, and gifts God has given you to be revealed and for your mind to be renewed.
2. Remind yourself that everyone is different… every day. Comparing is not helpful at all! Read affirmations daily. When you lovingly talk to yourself, your self-esteem grows tremendously. This is a powerful exercise that will help you to love yourself. Get to know who you are. By the way, loving yourself isn’t selfish or conceited. You can download a list of my favorite affirmations in Freebies.
3. If you want something to happen, YOU need to make it happen. We can dream all day, but executing those dreams is scary. Ask yourself “How bad do I want it?” If you want it bad enough, you’ll need to pull your big girl pants up and go get it. You got this. Please keep moving forward without regrets. Take things step by step.
All in all
God is with us every step of the way, He wants us to enjoy life and flourish. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, instead help the world come alive by being YOU. Your uniqueness is an amazing gift, use it while you have it.
Be sure to check out these other great posts to build confidence.
Off-track? Want to know how to set goals and achieve them? When our goals and declarations stutter to a stop, our proactive self immediately turns into a reactive being. We get into a vicious cycle of reacting to our circumstances instead of making things happen. I’m here to help you prevent that from happening. Learn my 4 repair tricks to knowing how to achieve goals!
What ain’t gonna work
Forward is the right direction, no? As with anything moving forward, it’s a lot easier to use a flashlight than to stumble in the dark. A key to knowing how to achieve goals is to understand what throws us off. What are your triggers and how do you defeat them?
Picture this; we start the year off strong. The first week we’re super motivated. The second week it gets a little harder. The third week something happens; we’re not sure what…but we veer off course; so much so we decide to set up camp. I’ve personally been there many times. Frankly, my old patterns are comfortable, they’re easy. But friend, there is something else I’ve learned; “comfortable” and “easy” ain’t gonna getcha where ya want ta go. So let’s learn more about what trips us up in the first place.
Here are the top stumbling blocks:
L = LIES we believe.
It’s too hard. Let’s face it, when things are hard ‘quitting’ comes to mind. This year quitting is not an option. Your goals need to be challenging, but they don’t need to be hard. There’s a difference. It’s called pace and workload. It’s too hard is a lie. Are you looking for an excuse to stop? When things get hard it is SO easy for us to quit. Here’s the thing, when you quit you’re on the verge of a breakthrough, and you just missed it because you gave up. Keep moving forward. When hard things are taken step by step it’s heck-of-a-lot easier to make things happen.
THE FIX: Break down your resolution and put a plan in place. Write down what you want to do every week, then every day, then every morning and evening. Get into a routine that helps you win. I don’t care how small the step is, you’re still moving forward. Make the day count. I created a mind map that will help you take things one step at a time. This is actually a great family activity to do; you’ll hold each other accountable!
A = ACTIONS WE DON’T TAKE.
There’s a lack of motivation. When I’m unmotivated I procrastinate. I wait until I FEEL like it. Well if I waited until I FELT like it all the time, nothing would move forward and I would have regrets. There are a couple of things I’m talking about. In order to know how to achieve goals, the first is to understand the purpose. Why must this get done? What space does it fill? What piece of my goal does this satisfy? The second is the FEEL part. This is a time when you pull up your bootstraps and put the emotions aside.
THE FIX: Ask yourself, “How am I going to feel when I get this done?” If your answer is ‘relief, amazing, good, a load off’, then that means it needs to happen…make it so. This is so incredibly good for your mental help and confidence.
Z = ZOMBIE GOALS.Sabotage #3
How to achieve goals is to have specific goals. The sabotage is that our goal is not specific. It’s like we’re walking around like zombies. Let’s say my resolution is to manage my finances better; I declare “I’m going to save money this year.” Then what? Ask yourself these questions: Who? What? When? Where? How? Who is going to help me? What changes am I going to do? When am I going to review these things? Where am I going to go if I need help? How am I going to succeed? When you have the answers to these questions you have a better view of how it’s going to happen.
THE FIX: be specific when writing your goals, something like this: “I’m going to review my cash flow and budget every Thursday after work.” To help you out in the goal department I created a printable that you can get for free. Head to my Freebies.
Y-YELLERS get our attention.
We get distracted. Distraction is a HUGE sabotage! When our focus isn’t on our end goal we flounder around in circles. Some people get stuck in this pattern and find it harder and harder to break free. To break through this twister, we must intentionally turn away from the distracting force and focus on what lies ahead.
I read an article a few years ago about the power behind just seeing the word “FOCUS”; it said that it can mysteriously snap us back on track. It sounds crazy, but I tried it and it worked for me.
THE FIX: when you find yourself getting distracted, recognize what is happening and remove yourself from the distracting environment. Write the word “focus” and place it in areas where distractions linger. Take it a step further and declare your time and space to be free of distractions in Jesus’ Name. Darkness wants to throw you off course. Stand firm next to Christ, and command the negative ju-ju to leave.
And…there it is…how to achieve goals
If you haven’t quite figured it out yet, the acronym I used for goal sabotages was LAZY. Our goals fall short because we get lazy. Been there, done that! Another way to look at it is that you might say we get a “lazy eye”, not physically, but mentally. We lose sight of our WHY, why am I doing this anyway, we might ask.
The word “lazy” means: unwilling to work or use energy. Talk about a knife in the wound. Lazy isn’t a bad word, especially on your day off. But it can be used against you in all other states of affairs.
My perspective about personal goals and resolutions is this: no one is going to do it for you. If you want it, YOU have to go get it. Staying reactive to things in life isn’t life, that’s existence…you just exist. But when you use your knowledge, resources, talents, strength, and creativity to go after your own goals…that’s not only productive, that’s doing more than existing.
Take things step-by-step, check your motivation, use specifics when setting goals, and FOCUS. May you be filled with dreams, plans, and amazing goals for your soul.
Come January and February the winter blues gradually sneak up on us. Winter blues disorder is a thing. According to Cleveland Clinic having the “winter blues” is actually normal. You’re totally fine to feel a little down during the colder months. They refer to it as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). Um, yeah, I know I get it. No matter where we live we’re bound to crave sunlight. But it’s not all about sunlight.
What can we do about the winter blues?13 Tips
Here are the best 13 ways to naturally reduce the ‘winter blues’. I go from the most common to the most unique. My personal favorites are #9 and #13.
1- Get Outside…even if it’s cloudy.
There is power in the outdoors even when it’s cloudy. Stepping outside to get the mail can even help fight off the winter blues sad symptoms. Stepping out in nature helps you feel like you did something today, that in itself, a feeling of accomplishment can mend the blues of winter. Do yourself a favor, and give yourself a change of scene, even if it’s a stroll in your neighborhood. Get some fresh air. Yo, getting outside may even help you sleep better at night. Here are a few nature quotes to get you motivated.
2- Open up the shades and pull back the curtains.
Increase the amount of sunlight in your home, again, even if it’s cloudy. Open the shades and curtains! Being closed off to the incredible beauty of creation is depressing. Stop it! Simply opening the curtains or shades during the day is so incredibly healthy for your mind and well-being. This little act makes a huge impact on your psyche. Say goodbye to the winter blues disorder!
3- Take Vitamin D
There are a lot of benefits to vitamin D. One benefit is it improves mood. Taking vitamin D3 also reduces upper respiratory infections. Other vitamin D benefits include bone health, helping the immune system, managing blood sugar levels, fighting heart disease, helping regulate hormones, contributing to memory, supporting skin health, and more. Dr. Axe has more info here. “D” gives you a dose of goodness.
4- Exercise
Beating the winter blues means working hard and outsmarting it! Who cares if it’s cloudy and gray outside? Bundle up and get out there. A bit of fresh air does a body and soul good. There have been studies on how exercise can boost mood. Have you heard of a runner’s high? It exists. But what if you don’t run? Lace-up the walking shoes or slip on the biking shorts! Aim to exercise for at least 30 minutes, an hour would be fantastic. Winter blues sad symptoms have no room in your everyday minutes when you’re heart gets pumping. I like to visualize the negativity leaving my body as I work my body.
5- Set a sleep schedule
When you’re on a sleep schedule, your body will naturally flow with it. It takes a little time, but within a week or two, you should be feeling the positive effects. Stick to all-natural ways to help you fall asleep and stay asleep. Things like avoiding electronics an hour or two before bed, dimming the lights, taking a hot bath, setting a routine, reading before bed, exercising in the morning instead of the evening, and avoiding caffeine after the lunch hour. I went as far as changing out my LED light bulbs to incandescent; yet, it’s hard to those light bulbs these days.
6- Look at what you’re eating.
A special diet to help the winter blues? Yeah, kind of. Change up your diet and eat more Omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, walnuts, flax seeds), berries, dark chocolate, and bananas are beneficial too. Source: Healthline. These types of foods give off happy vibes. I’ve got a great recipe for salmon in a skillet, find my recipe here. What you put into your body does affect how you feel. Get clear with cleaner foods and reduce inflammation with foods that calm. If you have digestive issues, be sure to check this post out, it has great information coming from someone who knows! (me).
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7- Try Light Therapy
Light therapy also helps manage the winter blues, but talk to your doctor first. There are a few lights to look at on Amazon. Here’s one that’s inexpensive to try: Miroco Light Therapy Lamp.
6 More Fun Things to Calm the Winter Blues
8- Add plants to your indoors
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Some other fun things we can do to brighten our blue months (January and February) are to bring green plants into your living space. Having plants, even if they’re fake, gives off a fresh feel to the room. Try putting a houseplant or two in your kitchen. If you don’t do well with plants, and what I mean is keeping them alive, head to your favorite hobby store or hop on Amazon and pick up some fake greens. Find other ideas on how to brighten a room here.
9- Light it up inside!
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Move your Christmas lights from your tree to other areas of your home. I have a fake tree in my house; year-round I put a string of white lights on it and turn them on in the evening and early morning. The fireplace mantel is also a great spot to have a string of lights. A few lights can go a long way! If you don’t like the typical dark green string, get the white one! You can find them on Amazon.
10- Turn your nose on
Fill your home with lovely smells. Honestly, I don’t know what it is about the smell of banana bread baking, but it brings warm hugs to my soul. Chicken soup does the same thing. Whatever your childhood favorite smell, make that smell happen! This is a low-cost method that goes a long way.
Play nature sounds. There are a lot of great nature sounds you can download. My personal favorites are the ones with birds, something that mimics my backyard in the warmer months. If the ocean is your favorite spot, tune into the sounds, and close your eyes.
12- Embrace the season
Welcome the stillness of the winter. Every year I find myself craving time alone when it’s snowing outside. Since I live in Michigan we get our share of snow. The snow has this magical way of quieting life down. Enjoy the silence of nature. One of my favorite places to be in winter is sitting in the snowbank at night…especially if it’s snowing!
13- Warm up the bones
Don’t forget to warm up your bones. If there is ever any sunshine, grab a camp chair and camp out in front of the window or door where the sunbeams shine through. I did this just the other day and my soul immediately felt better. No sun? Try your fireplace. No fireplace? Light a candle. No candles? Take a hot bath. No bathtub? A cup of dairy-free hot chocolate or tea works too…with a pair of cozy socks.
Victory over the Winter Blues
Let’s beat the winter blues at its game. Shine light where you can and warm up your soul using all your senses. Be aware of your surroundings and how you can change them. You got this!
If you can’t physically get outdoors, reading nature quotes will take your mind there. We were born with this internal love that connects us to nature. The awe of sunsets, oceans, and majestic mountains gets our attention. The outdoors is extremely entertaining and incredibly powerful. Things like storms, trees, flowers, and even vitamins like vitamin D can bring healing to our mental health, bodies, and even hearts. God is massively creative and wise and knows just what we need to rejuvenate our souls. Love Him back by getting yourself outdoors in his Creation.
Preparing to enter nature
Do you ever get that feeling something is off-balance, that you just need to get out and breathe? I sure do. In fact, this past weekend I said to my husband, “I have got to get outside and surround myself with nature. I’m feeling anxious and need to clear my head.” There are numerous studies about the power of nature and how it helps ground us, relieve stress, and simply be a vitamin for our souls. To motivate younger generations to get outdoors some people call it, Forest Bathing (Japanese term). It is a pretty cool term, kind of like “earthing” a.k.a. walking barefoot on the ground.
One of the things we can do to prepare for the outdoors is to get in the right mindset. Reading nature quotes is a great way to anticipate your outdoor venture. Nature quotes do a couple of things, they give you a mental visual of what you might experience, and they set the stage. They open your mind and prepare you to open your eyes to things you might otherwise not notice.
Taking a look back to move forward
There is just something about being in nature; you’re surrounded by the beauty and uniqueness that our pioneers and Native Americans lived in every day. This gives me awe that in some areas of the outdoors, it looked the very same as when our ancestors were around.
When I was a child I would play in the woods for hours. I’m sure you can relate if you lived in rural areas. I’d make a fort and play house of course! Making a broom out of a stick and pine branches made me feel purposeful and resourceful. Know what I mean? This is probably why I enjoy camping.
Our children and nature
Outdoor play is so good for our children. It not only stimulates their creativity, but nature actually helps them be creative. Playing outdoors creates confidence. It helps our kids develop a relationship with nature, and it comforts their natural spirit. Playing in God’s creation also brings them closer to Him. Here’s a post you gotta check out: 5 Valuable Ways to Manage Mental Wellness in Kids & Us. It talks about developing a relationship with nature. And gives ideas on how we can get our kids outdoors. It also covers our mental well-being and how to manage it naturally.
Nature can be our secret haven
For some people, like myself, nature is one of our favorite worship sanctuaries, it’s our haven, refuge. It’s informal and a perfect place to be one-on-one with God. Even if we don’t go into the woods or visit the meadows and mountains or beaches with the intent to worship God, nature has a way of rejuvenating and healing our souls. It’s like osmosis.
Being outdoors doesn’t mean you have to exert a lot of energy to benefit from it, like climbing a mountain or going mountain biking; you can just be, and soak in that unexplainable need for it. It keeps our minds fresh and it maintains equilibrium with our daily lives. There is nothing more pleasing to the eye than the serenity of God’s creation.
7 Amazing Nature Quotes
Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look what they can do when they stick together.
Verna M. Kelly
Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
– Albert Einstein
Beauty heals.
– Unknown
The trees, the flowers, the plants grow in silence’ the stars, the sun, the moon move in silence. Silence gives us a new perspective.
– Mother Teresa
When I get into the woods my cluttered mind says “Thank you”, my soul says “Ah”, and my spirit whispers “Be still”.
– Christy Troy
The oak sleeps in the acorn. The bird waits in the egg, and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of reality.
– Napoleon Hill
I can’t change the wind, but I can adjust the sails to reach my destination.
– Jimmy Dean
Wrapping it up
John Muir loved nature and God. He published over 300 articles and 12 books about wilderness, nature, and preservation. He co-founded the Sierra Club which helped establish several national parks. John says it perfectly here,
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.”
– John Muir
May you make an effort to get out into your haven over this next week, practice forest bathing, read some of these nature quotes before heading out in nature, take a step back into time, and see the world through the eyes of the pioneer and Native American. You may be surprised at what nature does for your heart and soul.
Spiritual warfare. Do you believe it? Over these past few years, there has been an increasing amount of spiritual warfare. Many walk around completely oblivious to spiritual warfare. They think they just have bad luck, a bad day, or that nothing good happens to them. STOP! Get a handle on what’s happening around you and change the course of your day immediately! Learn what it is and how to fight spiritual warfare with these 7 steps. Claim your life back today!
I wanted the truth.
Back in April of 2020, I started to seek truth in the only book that has truth, the Bible. And goodness, what a transformation it has done on me. I want that for you. People have even said to me, “Christy you sound so good,” “Christy, I can tell a weight has been lifted.” I owe it all the Jesus. Seriously, this guy changes things and makes things happen!
What is Spiritual Warfare?
Spiritual warfare is the invisible war between good and evil. Wikipedia defines it as, “…the Christian concept of fighting against the work of preternatural evil forces.” So how do we fight spiritual warfare? How do we know we’re being affected by it? Is it really true? These are all great questions, let’s get started on answering them.
Is this real?
The book of Truth (Bible) says in Ephesians 6:12: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” This is only one of the references in the Bible where it talks of evil, Satan, demons, and fowl spirits. There are hundreds of times in which the Bible talks of evil.
The Gospels are FULL of instances where Jesus and his twelve disciples drive out demons. You can find these books in the New Testament, the second half of the Bible. The Gospels include Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. This is really an interesting read with a wealth of knowledge that will help you get to know Jesus better. So good! In fact, the series “The Chosen” does a great job reflecting these books.
Yes, spiritual warfare is real. Even through Jesus defeated Satan by Jesus himself raising from the dead, Satan is still pissed off about it. So what does Satan do? He messes with us (God’s children) to throw us off course. To move forward, to do God’s will, we need to stand firm in Christ to fight.
And yes, there is a heaven and a hell. Satan exists along with other fallen angels. And no, I’m not a crazy person. The depth of the spiritual realm is beyond my comprehension, let alone being able to explain it in simple terms.
My wake-up call.
Many things led-up me to look further into spiritual warfare. Was I indeed a battlefield? Sure enough, I was. In fact, we all are. The Bible says we must be alert, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).
Not only did I have a physical ailment with no explanation, but I suffered for five years. Let me tell you, it was a royal pain in my rear…literally. It’s not fun to talk about, but I know someone needs to hear this.
My story of spiritual warfare and how I fight.
Somehow in some way, I hurt my left hip which radiated pain not only down my leg at first, but then moved to my groin and compressed some delicate nerves. Sitting for long periods of time was NOT happening. Even walking was rough. Just the fact that I don’t know how I hurt myself is a huge clue as to who might be behind this.
The x-ray showed nothing, four MRIs were unmarkable…nothing was wrong. No one could give me an answer as to why I was experiencing this horrible, crazy pain. I saw 8 physical therapists, 4 chiropractors, went through 30 acoustic compression appointments and saw 5 doctors, not to mention hours and hours of researching online for an answer.
There were nights when I cried myself to sleep. Prayers desperately went up for relief and healing. I dug into the Word even more. It just so happens that in Psalms 91 it occurred to me that the Enemy probably had something to do with this pain. I dug deeper into the Word, and even read books on spiritual warfare. My eyes were opened to a whole new way of going about this injury.
The game-changer.
For the record, the PT helped, but it didn’t do all the healing. What helped me even more was putting on my armor and fighting back. My prayers got more specific, my physical therapist even prayed for me, AND she understood spiritual warfare. In fact, she shared with me how she fought and still fights back. And you know what happened? My body started to feel better, my hope returned, my faith got stronger, I wasn’t complaining as much, I had spunk in my step, and I felt stronger in more ways than one.
It was time to claim my life back.
Goodness, this seems more like a journal entry for me than a blog post. But listen up, I learned some more super important game-changers that I want to pass along to you to help you in this area.
I’m not writing this post to teach you everything I learned, there is a lot of information, so much so that I don’t even know how to explain it! This post is to give you quick tips and a taste of what you can do to claim your life back.
Seven steps to peace
Step 1
The first step I took was to physically clean out my home of any objects that may have been subjected to evil doing. I know this sounds silly, but if objects can be blessed like a prayer shawl, objects certainly can be cursed too. Yikes! Be careful about the things you collect, including books; some of you might not like what I’m going to say, but it’s time to get rid of the Harry Potter books and Pokemon stuff…both are dealing with witchcraft. Sorry. I’ve heard it more than once people.
Also, be watchful of gifts you receive or have already received. Most things are probably fine, but if you question anything that may have been cursed or made with the hands of witchcraft or a religion that goes against Jesus, get rid of it. I know this sounds whacky, but remember who you’re dealing with…don’t entertain the enemy or test him.
The next step I took went beyond knickknacks. I went deep…into my old journals. Digging out my journals from high school, college, and my twenties was an eye-opener for me. First off, journaling is super healthy. It’s great to journal lessons you have learned, to write down prayers, to journal about great things and dreams, and to write about positive memories.
It’s also great to vent on paper, it’s better to beat up a pencil and notebook than to take it out on a person. Write it out. Don’t hang on to anger. Vent. But then pitch it. Physically throw the journal entry away or burn it. When we keep our old journals, the ones filled with darkness and distress, in some way or form our mind is still hanging on to them. Do you know what I mean? Destroy those entries full of complaining, anger, bitterness, and foul language. Who are you saving those journals for? Why would you ever want to reread those things, ever? Get rid of that darkness. It’s done. All over. It’s behind you.
What motivated me to destroy these entries was that I personally didn’t want my family to ever read them or for me to read them again. Toxic. I have no idea why I hung on to them for so long! So…I ripped out the bad stuff and burned them. Yep! I burned them in our portable fire pit; kind of like breaking up with a boyfriend and burning his things. I broke up with my old self. It was so liberating! I didn’t want to remember that junk, so again, why was I hanging on to it?
Step 3
The third step was to repent my sins. I wanted all negative ties broken. Asking for forgiveness for all my wrongs was humbling. You may think it’s no big deal, but to have a fresh start this needs to happen. In the past, I had asked God for forgiveness, but this time I was more thorough and I continue to this day to ask the Lord if there is something I missed to bring to my attention. I don’t want any sin holding me back from what God wants to do in my life. This is a daily practice for me, I sin all the time without even knowing it!
In Psalm 139:23-24, David asks, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” This is a GREAT verse to add to your prayers.
Check out Psalm 51 too. This is when David is asking God for forgiveness after the whole Bathsheba deal. However, this isn’t just about adultery, you can use this passage for your own sins big and small.
Step 4
The fourth step was to forgive anyone who had wronged me, including me! I didn’t say forget. I am not a Bible scholar, nor am I trying to be one, but I do know that you must forgive those who hurt you…yes, this includes everyone. Most of our offenders didn’t know what they were doing because the Enemy had such a big hold of them they had no way of telling what was right from wrong. Yet, some people DID know what they were doing…
The verse that comes to my mind is Matthew 6:14-15, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
Step 5
The fifth step was to renounce, refuse, and reject any lies, or fears that were/are holding me back. The Enemy is sneaky and he only wants to hurt you. When you hear a lie like, “You’ll never succeed at this.” Get on top of it immediately and say, “That’s a lie Satan. I am complete in Christ!” It’s also a super good idea to slam him with scripture you’ve memorized. In Ephesians 6 we are given the armor of God, and one vital piece of that battle gear is the Sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word. Philippians 4:13 states, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Memorizing has been a powerful experience for me. Granted I only know a handful right now, but when I use them, I can feel it. Fighting off the Enemy is a daily thing along with repenting my sins and forgiving others. Just remember that in John 10:10 Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Here is a site that is full of scriptures to memorize and use to fight spiritual warfare: hopefaithprayer.com
As for putting a layer of protection over your home, read aloud Psalm 91. Read it aloud in every room if you want. Anoint the frame of your front door with oil (olive oil or oil of choice) in Jesus’ Name and invite the Holy Spirit to come into your home and thank Him for His protection. You can do this on every door frame if you want.
Pray something like:
Dear God, You are a mighty God of love and protection. Please bless this entryway in Jesus’ name. I ask that you please guard all those who enter and leave this home. Do not allow anything to enter this home that is not of you in Jesus’ name. I forbid any sin, warfare, or corruption to enter this home. And I now command any unclean spirit to leave immediately in the name of Jesus and I send them to the foot of the cross. May this home be blessed by you, Lord, and honor you. Thank you for this home God. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Step 6
The sixth step was to look at what I’m putting into my mind daily. Am I listening to gossip? Depressing music? Lies on the news? Am I watching trashy TV? What are my conversations full of? What am I watching on YouTube or what video games are I playing? How are these shows helping me?
I’m not perfect, I have temptations, but I do have a mind. And if I want to live a life of joy and peace, I am going to try my best to control the things I put in my mind. Did you hear that? “What we put in our minds is in our control.” We have a choice here. No one is forcing you to watch Silence of the Lambs. The Bible teaches us what to put in our minds Philippians 4:8 gives us an idea, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, what is noble, whatever right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”(NIV)
Play praise music in the background all day long, put the Bible on and have it speaking, or listen to things that are pleasing to Him. Be careful of what you listen you. My son recently went through his playlist and deleted all songs that didn’t align with God. He said he even looked up some of the artists and found out that they worship something else… be careful!
Step 7
The seventh step is to pray. I’m not just talking about prayers of “God is great. God is good. Let us thank him for our food.” Prayers for protection, love, and to do His will have power behind them. The Lord wants to hear from you, He wants to talk with you, and He wants to bless you. But the first step is to pray.
Prayer is the MOST important part of your life! Let me reiterate, prayer is SO incredibly important. The more you know God personally, the better your prayer life will be.
Pray before a crisis happens, pray in the morning before your day starts, and pray at night before your body, heart, and mind rest. Stand firm in Christ.
When you pray, know that it is a weapon against the Enemy. Find a place that is your secret place to pray, where there are NO distractions. A place where you can be your total and true self. Your prayer place is a place where you can cry, sob, yell, and sing without the world looking at you and judging you.
Play instrumental music in the background. Invite the Holy Spirit to come and guide your prayer.
To close your eyes or keep them open? It doesn’t matter. I do both. The Bible doesn’t say you have to close your eyes.
Memorize scripture and recite it back to God in your prayer.
When I pray I like to go in this kind of order:
Praising God and telling Him how great He is.
Thanking Him for everything big and small that comes to mind.
Confessing my sin and asking for forgiveness, getting right with God.
Asking for the Holy Spirit to come into my heart.
Asking for protection over the Enemy, and using God’s amour to stand firm next to Christ.
Other prayer requests, praying for people, situations, and myself according to His will.
Asking all in Jesus’ name. Sealing the prayer in and through Jesus. For instance, I end the prayer something like this… “thank you Jesus, I ask all this in your name, in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Sometimes, on challenging days, I simply talk to Him, I lament, cry, and get it all out. He is full of truth, love, mercy, and hope. He is the only One. Pour into Him, trust Him. Ask Him. Love Him.
In Matthew 6:5-15 Jesus teaches us how to pray. He uses the Lord’s Prayer as a guide in what you should include in your prayers. Some pastors follow an acronym for prayer: ACTS.
Resources
Along with reading the Bible (Ephesians 6:10-18 is a good start), I also recommend these books.
I HIGHLY recommend the Wild At Heart App. It has many powerful prayers that help fight the Enemy.
To round up how to fight spiritual warfare
Whether you are dealing with physical pain, relationships, weird moods, nightmares, or just feeling off, I hope that you’ll take a step back and see WHO is really at fault here. By all means, don’t discount your doctor, just add some spiritual fighting power. I recommend going through these seven steps so you can get clarity in your everyday life and fight spiritual warfare like you mean it! This isn’t a one-shot deal, it should be done as often as you need.
The Enemy wants to distract us and interrupt the line of communication between us and God. Let’s remain diligent and focus on God. My hope is that you’ll understand more about this spiritual warfare stuff so you know how to recognize it and fight it off! Blessings to you.
There have been recent conversations in our home about what it means to ‘work hard’. Different generations have different definitions, and I get that, but I think we can all agree that hard work takes four things: integrity, sweat, humility, and sacrifice. In this post, you’ll learn 4 tips on how to teach your kids how to work hard.
When I put an image of a hard worker in my head, I picture the Brawny Man in the red flannel shirt with sleeves rolled up. Another picture is Pa from Little House on the Prairie; again he had his sleeves rolled up. Why do I associate rolled sleeves with hard work? It seems I’m not the only one. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, roll-up-your-sleeves signifies a person is ready to work.
Are your kids missing out?
When I was a teen I was taught to work first, then play. I also was taught that having a job was important and that you had to work for what you wanted. There has been a lot of chatter about different generations not knowing how to work hard. This is concerning because there is a lot of happiness and gratification in putting in a hard day’s work! When it comes to knowing how to work hard, think of mental health management.
Working hard gives me pleasure. I feel good about myself and I love the feeling of accomplishing something. At the end of the day, I can say with a smile on my face, “I put in a hard day’s work!” But are some generations missing out on this natural high?
In a study by Vanderbilt scientists, they discovered that people who were willing to work hard had higher dopamine levels than those who were not keen on the idea. Remember dopamine is a neurotransmitter that makes us feel happy and good. In other words…a University of Connecticut researcher, John Salamone states, “Low levels of dopamine make people…less likely to work for things. So this work-hard-bit has to do with your brain.
Teach how to work hard: 4 Tips
1. Make realistic attainable goals.
This is a small example; my young son was shooting hoops. He wants to be a great basketball player, so I said he couldn’t come in for dinner until he made 5 shots in a row from where he was standing. I gave him a realistic goal, one that challenged him, and one that would give him great pleasure. So what happened when he made his goal? He jumped up and down and cheered! But along with a goal plan, know what trips you up. Learn more about how to get unstuck.
2. Focus on your dreams. What drives you?
If you want it bad enough, you’ll naturally work hard to get it. How bad do you want “it”? That diploma, that promotion, that certification, that house, that small business, that weight loss? Ask yourself what motivates you. Believe in yourself that you can make it happen. Reach for the courage and confidence that will help you to keep moving forward. First and foremost, learn more about yourself, when you understand a little bit more about who you are, and what you identify with, then being motivated is a lot easier.
3. Exercise and eat healthy foods.
Getting your body and brain in a healthier state is an amazing way to perform and to know how to work hard. When you feel good, you do better…in everything. A healthy body and a clear mind will give you more confidence, wisdom in decision-making, more energy, and you will have more creativity. It’s not just weight loss, but it’s eating a cleaner diet, getting to know Jesus, and feeding your mind with positive things. You are in control of what you put into your body and mind, you can heal, exercise, and work hard on the things that matter to you. Reduce stress in your life and get your vessel, the only one you get, ready to make things happen. Be strong and keep moving forward!
4. Integrity.
Simply having strong moral principles, being honest, knowing what is right from wrong, and following through with commitments will help you live an amazing life. It’s hard work to have integrity, but when you do the right thing you again trigger the dopamine. Keep your promises, it will pay off.
Wrapping up how to work hard
Let’s hold each other accountable to use our talents, gifts, abilities, and morals to work hard, make a difference, and be driven to be part of the bigger picture. I hope that you take these four tips and weave them into the lesson of how to work hard. Oh yeah, and don’t forget to roll up your sleeves.
Want no more money problems? Listen up to these 9 must-do steps. There is no way to predict tragic storms, destructive earthquakes, virus pandemics, wars, house fires, the sudden death of a loved one, or unemployment. If we could tell our money ‘a tornado is coming, hang on tight’, life would be so much easier. We can tell our money to do that, but what if we weren’t ready? In knowing how to fix money problems you can do some simple steps. To get started, I’ve got 9 easy-to-do steps to help you manage money wisely starting today!
First things first
First and foremost, remember these times of despair are just that, a time. It’s not forever, it’s not the end of the world; it’s just a season that is visiting for a while. It may seem like an eternity but it will pass like all our other seasons IF you want it to. The hard part is getting through it without much pain. But you must get through it, keep moving forward! Want to know more about motivation? Check out How to Get Motivated: 4 Critical Tips to Start Anything.
Your 1st priority
Your priority is to take care of yourself and your family. If it’s a spreading sickness, do everything in your power to protect yourself and your family from getting sick. Did a storm hit your house? Then get your family to a safer shelter. If you lost your job, then start looking for a replacement job, even if it pays less than the work you had before, just get something going so you have a little income.
When the overall shock has faded, this is usually about a week to 10 days depending on the severity, you can start working on these 9 must-do steps to get your life back on track and put your money problems behind you.
9 Steps to Manage Money Wisely
1. Clean up the unnecessary subscriptions
Get rid of unnecessary subscriptions: magazines, the gym (unless you’re using it), weight loss programs, email subscriptions that you’re not using every week, and might I even say cable TV? When you add all these things up, you will be surprised at how quickly things add up! It will make you sick. Stop giving your money away to companies you’re not using! Again, look at the numbers and the amount of time you use these things. Is it worth it? Is it distracting you from accomplishing your goals?
2. Work on your budget
Having a budget is the BEST tool out there to manage money wisely. Money problems happen when a budget is not in place. What I love about a budget is that it can help you find the holes and see what holes need to be filled. For instance, my husband and I recently redid our budget and found that we were spending way more than we thought on eating out. Ouch! I like to think of a budget as a treasure hunt or a crime scene. It lays it all out so we can solve the case.
A budget doesn’t need to be restrictive, tedious, or confusing. Keep it simple. Paper and pencil work great. Or step it up to an Excel worksheet. I already created one for you that you can use for free. Go to Freebies to get yours.
If you want something beefier that has printable reports I highly recommend Quicken or Quickbooks. We use both for different accounts.
Budget tip
Start your budget out simply. Scale down and only focus on your necessities. This may be hard but look at it from a survival perspective. What can I, or we as a family, live without for two months? Do we have an emergency fund?
Wipe your money problems away by making extra money. There are some amazing side gigs out there that I’ve even done! For instance, you can grocery shop for others. This is a fun job if you like the grocery store. Numerous delivery services are desperate for people to work. I suggest searching online using keywords like “work-from-home jobs”, “part-time jobs”, and “best side hustle jobs”. There are a lot of opportunities.
Heads-up: Many bloggers say to start a blog. FYI – You’ll be spending more money on starting it than making any money on it. They are only telling you to start a blog to sell their blog-building tools or to exercise their affiliate programs. Building a profitable blog takes time and money, it’s not impossible, but it is a lot of hard work, especially starting from scratch. Just being honest here.
Simply look at what businesses are booming in tough times and then go there and inquire about opportunities. For instance, health care during a pandemic, delivery services, construction workers, or restaurants. Search with an open mind and ask yourself what you would enjoy and be willing to try.
4. DIY (Do It Yourself)
Do things yourself. Ideas in this arena include selling your crafts and creations on Etsy, cleaning your own house, mowing your own yard, and for minor fixes around the home getting on YouTube to find ways to fix things yourself. Doing things yourself can help save you money and give you gratification and confidence!
5. Cut Costs
Cutting back on costs can be kind of fun to figure out yet still be content. Things to look at are the number of visits to: the hair salon, getting your nails done, trips to the grocery store, and the car wash. Other ways to cut back are to shop at a lower-priced grocery store, and to be mindful of your utilities: shower or bathe once a day instead of two, turn off the lights when not using that specific room, turn the thermostat down one or two notches, ‘when it’s yellow let it mellow when it’s brown flush it down’, turn the faucet off while scrubbing those pearly whites. Things like that. Here’s a great post on how to savemoney grocery shopping that you should check out.
6. Sell stuff
Sell stuff through Facebook Marketplace, Mercari, or other trustworthy platforms. This is a great time to declutter your home and ask yourself if you need certain things. Selling your things is a lot easier these days too. If you don’t want to hassle with a garage sale, sell things online. I have done well using both methods. In my last garage sale, I squashed a money problem using my profits. It felt so good!
7. Be smart
Make smarter buying decisions on the necessities. Okay, toilet paper baffles me, unless you have an underlying condition like Crohn’s, colitis, or cancer, cool your jets on the TP. Simply take what you need for two weeks then manage the toilet paper you have in the house.
Ask yourself if you NEED a particular item before buying it. Look for deals or coupons. Opt to never buy full price for anything! Always keep your receipt in case you have buyer’s remorse and want to return an item.
8. Whoa-back on large money deals
It’s human to be uneasy during uncertain times, but only allow yourself one day to ‘freak out’. After that, get your battle face on and make adjustments. However, the one caveat to making change is to not make any major financial decisions in the first 7-14 days. For instance, don’t cash in your 401K buy a new car/house, or rank up your credit cards. Put your mind to work and figure out some ways to adjust in ways that help you and not hurt. Put together a budget and get a plan in place.
9. Emergency fund
When all is back up to speed, start to build your emergency fund for the next time something like a pandemic or war sucker punches us again. One way to do this is to put a little bit away every paycheck. Some people do 10%, others 5%, and so forth. You will be amazed at how quickly this adds up, especially if you put it in a savings account that accumulates interest.
In closing
I believe in you. You got this. Just remember your priority is to take care of yourself and your family with the necessities. Work together as a family. Working together will not only bring you all closer together and working as a team, but it will be a lasting memory and bring more happiness into your home.
With viruses penetrating our bodies, seasonal allergies clogging our sinuses, and the normal colds circulating in our environment, keeping our lungs happy can be stressful. Our lungs give us energy and life. When we’re breathing well, our minds are clear, our sleeping is solid, and we don’t really think about breathing. Learn seven great ways to help your lungs.
Viruses
The Coronavirus attacks our lungs. It takes a completely healthy human and preys on our breathing source. I understand this virus reacts differently in everyone depending on age and underlying conditions. We tend to think it’s out of our control. But we can be in control of how we are preparing our bodies for viruses or seasonal allergies.
7 Lung Health Builders
Exercise
Simply walking every day is a great exercise for your lung health. If you start walking try increasing the speed or distance every once in a while to give your lungs a workout. A slow jog will also do the trick. Aim for at least 20 minutes. Try breathing in your nose and out your mouth.
Breathe clean air
We can clean our air. During allergy season it’s not a bad idea to try an air purifier. Here is an economical air purifier option. This is a great option to improve lung health.
**I’m not a doctor, nor am I trying to be. I share the information I have either experienced myself or am extremely interested in, and then I keep things simple and give you the nutshell version. This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your physician before jumping into new things. This article is for information purposes only.**
Humidify
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Humidify while we sleep. A morning bloody nose is usually what I had for breakfast at least twice a week when I was a kid. There were three causes to this: dry winter air, seasonal allergies, and me picking my nose. My fix was a humidifier.
A humidifier keeps nasal passageways moist. Meaning with viruses, when the surface is moist it has a harder time sticking and penetrating through our body. Similar to a sore throat regime; keep the throat moist to flush out the virus. Here’s my humidifier. I absolutely love it!
Drink Agua
Drink lots of water. Keep things slippery in your body. Remember that viruses like to stick to things. Don’t give them an opportunity. Get a good water filter. Water is the source of everything, so make sure it is clean water.
No smoking, please
Steer clear of smoking. There is no proof that smoking is good for your lungs. It may feel good for a little bit, but it’s not worth the long-term effects. I’m talking about cigarettes, vaping, marijuana, and cloves. I understand that pipe (as in tobacco) and cigar smoking is slightly different…, but those have problems of their own.
Roll up the car windows
Roll up the windows on diesel. Some people love the smell, others despise it. If you’re behind a truck or diesel-driven vehicle your nose will tell you, especially if they don’t have Def in the line. Short-term exposure to diesel can cause people to feel dizzy, get a headache, or have irritation in the eyes, nose, and throat. Long-term exposure can result in cardiovascular and respiratory disease including lung cancer.
Eat for your lung health
Eat lung-healthy foods. Foods for
your lungs? For healthy lungs you’re going to want to eat:
Bananas. These rich in potassium fruits help the lungs contract and expand, hence preventing breathing problems.
Leafy Greens. These delicious yet scary-looking plants are packed with vital nutrients to support the lungs. Studies show that consuming these leaves could be linked to a lower risk of COPD, adult asthma, and lung cancer. Choose kale, spinach, and arugula. Salad here we come! I’ve got a kale salad recipe you should check out!
Garlic and Ginger. These antibacterial powerhouses can lower the risk of developing lung cancer (garlic) and decrease lung damage (ginger).
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Salmon. This omega-3 fatty acid is a great lung-cleansing food. This fights inflammation and increases blood flow. Here’s a post all about omega oils. And check out my salmon in a skillet recipe!
Turmeric. Of course turmeric. This is one of the best foods for your lungs. It’s filled with curcumin, which is what makes it a bright color. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties that help with asthma, COPD, and lung injury. This is a great one I recommend. Turmeric.
Wrapping up Lung Health
I hope that these simple quick lung health tips will make a big difference in your overall health and energy. May this help your body get ready to fight off viruses, improve allergy symptoms, and be a happy human.
