Simple Self Care Saturday #1

February 26, 2022 / healthbuddymelissa / Leave a comment

Welcome to Saturday! The weather is beautiful here in Florida today, and I hope wherever you are it is too. Now that I am no longer working every Saturday, nor doing 12-hour shifts, I am starting a new self-care series of posts. I totally believe in self-care that is simple, easy to do, affordable, easy to understand, and uncomplicated. Self-care is something you intentionally do for yourself. Keeping it simple will aid you with making self-care a habit. What is one type of self-care that I have made into a habit? Getting up and taking at least 250 steps every hour, while awake. Now that it is a habit I feel sad if I can’t do it. For example, this week I started my new job and it was all done on a computer, in an office. I could not get up and move every hour, or I guess I didn’t think to ask to do it, and I felt so lazy by the end of the day. Not all types of self-care will meet everyone’s definition of my time. For example, having my nails and hair done is not for me, but some people find it very relaxing and self-loving.

For this first simple self-care Saturday I would like to talk about Tai Chi. I am not a certified Tai Chi instructor, and I only dabble in it as a form of energy balance. I actually love Tai Chi and I like to incorporate it with my Reiki. I am trained in Reiki. Both are types of energy healing but Tai Chi is also more of a type of exercise or intentional movement. It can improve your balance, muscle strength, all while focusing on your breathing. The movements are very slow, so you focus on the movement and the breathing. The video below is 11 minutes long, but the Tai Chi session is only 5 minutes in length and it is perfect for a Simple Saturday, or any day of the week. I try to do this routine daily, but it is not yet a habit, so I often do it a few times a week. I find it is a great cool-down routine after exercise, or after a stressful day at work to relax. Once you learn her easy routine you won’t need the video, though you may want to play some soft music, or nature sounds once you have it memorized. Try it if you are in pain, anxious, worried, etc. Once you master this first video you may wish to try some more of her Tai Chi routines, or just stick with this simple one.

Leave me a comment if you try this. What is your favorite way to practice self-care? There are so many, but you need at least one, and then do it. If you would like to learn more about my Distance Reiki sessions, click the highlighted link above, or use the contact form below to send me an email for a free consultation.

Disclaimer

is this a healthy food? Mindful eating

July 5, 2021 / healthbuddymelissa / 1 Comment

Hello, and welcome back to Mindful Monday. As part of my Mindful Monday and Mindful Monday posts I will be sharing some of my families favorite food items, and some that I just want to talk about, as to whether these are healthy food items, or food at all. Before I get into it I need to make any potential new customers aware that I have a Tropical Storm heading towards me. The weather will start to go down hill tomorrow. For the most part we will get heavy rain, wind, and possible tornadoes. I may lose power, but obviously I am hoping not. Unless the system rapidly intensifies in the Gulf evacuation will not be needed. We woke up yesterday morning to a leak in our roof from the already heavy rains we have been experiencing for a month now. I noticed my neighbor also has a tarp on their roof, so all this rain is starting to affect us all. Keep us in your thoughts and I will try to keep posting every day. Next week I really am hoping to do a live video shot to put up on Youtube, but maybe you will get to see some Tropical Weather instead, lol. I am glad that I got to eat all of my fresh peaches, straight off of my peach tree before these high winds come. You may see affiliate links in this post.

Today, I am going to discuss Smartfood White Cheddar Popcorn. It is my all time favorite popcorn of any popcorns. I am ashamed to say I could eat this whole bag if I didn’t have portion control. But, beyond my personal love for this popcorn is it a healthy food. The definition of a healthy food is: healthy foods provide nutrients to sustain a bodies well being and energy levels. Water, carbs, fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals are the key nutrients in a healthy food. So, lets look at the label of Smartfood popcorn and decide if I think it is a healthy food.

There are 7 servings in one bag and 160 calories per serving. A serving is about 2 1/2 cups, so that is a nice generous serving size. If you ate the whole bag you would consume 1120 total calories. So, yes it definitely will give you energy.

Each serving contains 14 grams of carbs. So if you are a Diabetic and have been told your snack should be 15 grams of carbs or less, one serving of this popcorn could be a snack for you. However, if someone consumed the whole bag it would be 98 grams of total carbs. There are 2 grams of fiber per serving. So, technically you could subtract 14 grams of carbs to get a net carb total of 84. So, yes it contains carbs for energy and even some fiber. Not too bad.

Fats: There are plenty of fats in here, but you could say it is probably too much to be considered healthy. Each serving contains 10 grams of fat, and 2 are saturated fats. There are no trans fats so that is good. If you ate the whole bag you would get 70 grams of fat, and 14 grams of saturated fats. That is not so great at all.

Protein: There are 3 grams of protein per serving and if you ate the whole bag it would be 21 grams of total protein. If you have CKD this could be a dangerous snack, especially because it is so easy to over eat it. On the note of CKD. There are no PHOS additives listed on the label, so that is a positive for this snack food. However, popcorn naturally has some Phosphorus and milk products are used, and that also contains Phosphorus. So, don’t be tricked into believing there isn’t any. Phosphorus is not a required item on food labels, something to lobby for if you have Kidney Disease.

Other Vitamins and Minerals: Sodium 200 mg per serving, that makes this a high Sodium food. Potassium 50 mg per serving which states is 0 percent of RDA. I find that strange since milk and popcorn both contain Potassium naturally. Calcium 2% of RDA. Iron 2% of RDA for one serving.

Ingredients: You can see the label below, but you will see they are not awful. There is some maltodextrin in there ie sugar and that would be why there is 2 grams of sugar per serving. In all there are 8 ingredients and as far as processed foods go I don’t find that to be incredibly horrible. There is milk used in this product so if you have issues with milk this won’t be a good option.

So, all in all what do I think? I think if you eat one serving that this could be a Healthy Food snack option. It is kind of high in fat so eat some veggies with it to help absorb the vitamins and minerals in your veggies. A win win. I certainly would try not to eat the whole bag, but like I said it would be very easy to. So, if you don’t have portion control this could be very unhealthy. , and would be more of a meal than a snack.

Do you love White Cheddar Popcorn, or do you have another favorite snack food. Obviously, air fried popcorn is the healthiest type of popcorn. Stay safe if you are in the path of Tropical Storm Elsa!

Disclaimer

Sign up for my Mailchimp mailing list to get my weekly newsletter with all kinds of good stuff in it.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

work your bum and get smarter!

June 27, 2021 / healthbuddymelissa / Leave a comment

Just in case you don’t know your Bum, is your buttocks. This post is all about exercise and how it effects your memory, and overall Brain Health. There are only two more posts in this series on Brain Health. They will come on Tuesday, and Wednesday. You may see affiliate links in this post, or any of my posts. Be sure and check out all of the series on Brain Health in the archives.

Join my Mailchimp mailing list to find out what the Health Challenge for July will be, and where I will share what I will be doing to meet the Health Challenge.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

Online CPR and First Aid Certification!

So, what does working your Bum have to do with being smarter? I am so glad you asked. Studies show that exercise, not just your Bum, improves Brain Health, and function. It helps memory, stress related issues, Depression, school, emotions, and so much more. Read more about this great information, here.

So, if you want to keep your memory young, learn new things, avoid Stress and Depression, then start working your Bum!

Below are some very interesting videos on the topic of exercise and Brain Health. They are short, so be sure to watch them.

Disclaimer

Be sure and check out my Distance Reiki offer, and my meal planning subscription.

how well do you know your brain?

June 23, 2021 / healthbuddymelissa / Leave a comment

Continuing with my Brain Health theme until the end of this month, how well do you know your brain. The brain is a very complex organ and scientists are learning knew things every day. Below you will find a video on the structure and function of the human brain. You may see affiliate links in this post, or any of my posts.

The previous two days I discussed learning new things for Brain Health, and diets for Brain Health. Be sure and check them out in the archives if you are interested.

Do you have stress, anxiety, chronic pain, inability to focus, anger, etc? Check out my Distance Reiki plan to help with bringing your body back into balance.

Disclaimer

Join my Mailchimp mailing list to get coupon deals on my affiliate links, deals and specials for Health Buddy Melissa plans, freebies and so much more. I send a weekly newsletter, usually on Wednesdays.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

chronic kidney disease symptoms and self care management!

June 19, 2021 / healthbuddymelissa / Leave a comment

Welcome to Self Care Saturday! If you read this blog then you know I have CKD, and that I had a recent experience with a shoulder injury and poor pain management. Symptoms when you have CKD, and poor management of those symptoms are a huge self care problem for kidney patients. While most doctors will focus on dialysis kidney patients want management of their symptoms long before they need dialysis. I found this video below from Canada where they are more focused on empowering Kidney Patients to self advocate for self care. The video is short but so worth watching. The lady at the very end had the most powerful question be sure and hear it. If you have stage 3 CKD you will see what I mean.

Reiki may help you with CKD pain, stress, relaxation, better sleep, etc. If you are interested I am now offering Distance Reiki Sessions.

Disclaimer

Join my Mailchimp mailing list to receive my weekly newsletter with discounts and lots of info.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

The zero point food challenge has ended!

June 17, 2021 / healthbuddymelissa / Leave a comment

Happy Thursday! Today was another super busy and unusual day. Then my internet went out around 2 PM and just came back on. I hate it when that happens, especially when I have not done my internet work yet. Anyway, I have decided to end the Zero Point Food Challenge today, instead of Tuesday. Continue reading to learn why. You may see affiliate links in this post. Be sure and check out my brand new Distance Reiki Wellness Plan. I am accepting clients now!

Anti-aging starter kit, get yours now.

I have decided to end the Zero Points/Very Low Fat Food Challenge early, because:

I have learned a lot of good information from this challenge and I feel I can continue the good habits I have adopted without difficulty.
I lost 3 pounds in 8 days. That is pretty good.
It is very time consuming to get all of the meal plan, nutrition info, and pictures each day to add to this blog.
There doesn’t seem to be that much interest in this considering the amount of time I am spending on it.

I really did enjoy this challenge. I have eaten a ton of carbs, but mostly from whole foods, and I still lost weight. I think this pretty much shows that a whole food diet, even high in carbs, can be healthy and support weight loss. I did not change my exercise habits. I also was consuming way less fat than I may normally. I probably will return to not eating as much dairy as I have been. I feel like I am certainly getting too much Phosphorus, and lower fat foods have other additives that may not be healthy. If I do decide to have cheese, or milk, I will just have it in very small amounts rather than the lower fat options. Except mozzarella, and ricotta. Those I do not mind in the lower fat variety, or cottage cheese. The others are just a strange texture and really have no flavor. One thing I miss a lot is nuts! I love nuts, and while I only eat them in small amounts the amount of fats in them led me to avoid them for this challenge. My husband absolutely hates the whipped butter, which just makes me sad. But, I will continue to use it and he can have the other. I also miss cooking with Olive Oil. Olive Oil is a healthy fat, and I use it only in small amounts while cooking. I will do that again in small amounts. Another thing I noticed is that I think I am not eating enough Potassium on this diet. Maybe because I ran out of tomatoes, and bananas, lol, but I have been having leg cramps. I have not had leg cramps in years. So, I will be sure to always have them on hand. Not all people with kidney disease can’t eat potassium. I think my body needs more than the average kidney patient. Father’s Day is Sunday, check out this awesome Hair Growth Combo Kit.

If you enjoyed this challenge, and maybe even tried eat, leave me your thoughts in the comments. Coming up next Monday, Brain Health.

Disclaimer

Join my Mailchimp mailing list to find out what my July Health Challenge will be, get a free smoothie recipe, and a free 15 minute mile treadmill walk.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

My 3 favorite mindfulness techniques that may help lower blood pressure

May 24, 2021November 8, 2021 / healthbuddymelissa / Leave a comment

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had an awesome weekend. I was able to work, technically light duty because I was not allowed to lift or pull, but I was grateful to work. I think sometimes we take for granted the importance of work and how it plays into our mindset. That doesn’t mean I think people should work themselves to death, just that it does have purpose other than to make money. This post may contain affiliate links.

This whole month I have been discussing Blood Pressure Awareness. You can see all of the posts in the series in the archives. As you may know, if you read here a lot, I have completed my Mindfulness Certificate course. I think people interpret Mindfulness in different ways and that is fine. Mindfulness is being in the present, being aware of your surroundings and how you feel about your surroundings. It is not an escape, or ignoring of what is going on around you. It is a way to become stronger, and more resilient in dealing with negative experiences and the way you react to them. It can help you relieve Stress and relax.

There was a study done that shows that Mindfulness may be able to help lower blood pressure or avoid it. Remember, that Stress is a huge driver of blood pressure. So, it would make sense that learning Mindfulness, may help lower or even prevent High Blood Pressure. As I always say, please do not ever stop taking medication on the advice of someone online. Talk to your doctor that you would like to try Mindfulness to see if it can help you. Hopefully your doctor will say, awesome and lets monitor you while you do it to see if it helps or not.

There are many different Mindfulness techniques. A lot of people use Meditation. But, to me Meditation is more about removing yourself from your thoughts and feelings, not exploring or noticing them. Don’t get me wrong Meditation super awesome and I love it, but just not really Mindful to me. A lot of people like controlled breathing patterns. This is also an awesome technique and is particularly helpful when the moment can not be escaped or left for a few minutes. Such as excusing yourself to take a few minutes to reflect and gather your thoughts. Counting to 5 before you speak so you can think of a good response instead of a hasty one is another great technique. You can read the article here.

So, what are my 3 favorite techniques for minding my emotions and being in the present moment?

Mindful Meditation. To me Mindful Meditation is a type of self reflection of my day or how I reacted to certain circumstances. Since I tend to Ruminate, or go over things again and again, especially when it is time for sleep, Mindful Meditation helps me to finalize all my thoughts on the day so I can fall asleep. There are obviously several ways that you can do this. My favorite way is to hook up my Bluetooth headphones and play the video below on low, while wearing this eye warming mask. My son gave me money for Mother’s Day and I bought one. It isn’t that exact brand but pretty much the same. The mask stays warm for exactly 20 minutes, and during that 20 minutes I reflect on the events of the day, noticing how I reacted to those events. If I think I could have had a better reaction I make a note of that in my mind so hopefully the next time I will remember to notice how I am feeling and better control the situation. I find this technique not only helpful for me to fall asleep faster but to learn more about myself and the ways that I respond to situations. If you don’t like the idea of the eye mask, using a journal to reflect on your day is another option. Not only do I fall asleep faster, but the warming mask also helps my dry eyes. You can read about my dry eye saga, here.
Body Scans. Body scanning is a very easy technique to learn. You can do it in a restroom, or just sitting quietly and no one will even know you are doing it. I use Self Reiki for my body scan. I can’t really do it in public, because people will definitely notice. But, I could do it in a restroom or quiet office space. This is especially helpful if you are noticing that you are having a negative response to a situation, or feeling stressed. You are in the present moment and noticing how you are feeling. You may not like the feeling, body scanning may help to reduced that stressor and eliminate it.
Mindful Exercise. This will be different for everyone. Whatever type of exercise and music format will allow you to reflect on your emotions related to situations is what you are looking for. For me, and I have talked about this probably 100 times, walking in nature is my thing. Even if I am on the treadmill I tend to put on nature sounds while I walk. It allows my mind to wander and concentrate on situations, reactions and how I can reduce that stressor thereby possibly reducing blood pressure. Yoga, Pilates, Kickboxing perhaps, or jumping around to Hard Rock may be more your thing. Whatever allows you to be present in a moment, evaluate it, feel it, and then change it if need be. Mindfulness is not always about changing how you behave in a situation. Through your reflection you may find that you behaved just fine and you are OK with it. So, store it and let it be.

No matter which Mindfulness topic you may want to try, it is important to use your senses to notice your surroundings. Touch, Smell, Sight, Sound, and Taste are the 5 senses. Try to notice them in your everyday life it will help you to become more mindfully aware.

Disclaimer

Don’t Worry, Be Happy!

If you would like to learn more about Mindfulness and how it can help you in your every day life, please use the contact form at the end of this post to message me with your questions. If you are interested in a Distance Reiki session, a 20 minute session is 50 dollars. Use the contact form to message me for details.

Join my mailing list and get a free smoothie recipe right away. Plus, my weekly newsletter where I share content I don’t share here, plus savings and deals.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

portion distortion: Ice Cream!

November 2, 2020July 5, 2021 / healthbuddymelissa / 1 Comment

Happy Monday! Welcome back to a new Portion Distortion topic. This time it is ice cream. Portion Distortion topics are part of my Mindful Eating topics to raise awareness of the foods we eat. Everybody loves ice cream. Well, unless you are lactose intolerant then you might not love ice cream. Ice cream is not only a calorie dense food, but it is also very high in fat and typically has lots of added sugar. This does not bode well for anyone wanting to lose weight, eat heart smart, or has Diabetes. Reading labels and knowing what you are consuming is a great way to raise your awareness. This post may contain affiliate links.

Publix had Haagen Daaz ice cream buy one get one free for the small containers. According to the container 2/3 of a cup is a serving size. That serving size has 340 calories, 21 grams of fat of which 13 are saturated fat, 32 grams of carbs, 32 grams of sugars of which 24 grams are added sugars, 75 mg of sodium, and 6 grams of protein and no fiber. That is not even one cup of ice cream. My serving size was 1/4 of a cup so a 1/3 of their serving size. Plus I added some pureed berries- 1 strawberry and 7 blueberries- for a total of 145 calories for 1/4 cup, 2 ounces of ice cream. You can very easily see how ice cream can be a concerning food to eat. A couple of weeks ago I got a kiddy size hot fudge sunday and it was over 600 calories! Now, I am not saying never eat ice cream. I love ice cream here and there. Just be aware of what and how much you are really eating. The images show my serving of ice cream and berries. It was really quite delicious. I do not like yogurt, and I am not sure it is even healthier than ice cream, but I may try the berries with almond milk yogurt. I will have to look at it when I go to the store again.

Do you love ice cream? What is your favorite flavor and brand? Leave me a note in the comments. Come back tomorrow to learn about my next food challenge. Don’t forget to join the Rosemary Challenge for the whole month of November.

Would you like to learn more about Mindfulness, and how it can help you in your every day life? Message me for a free meet and greet and learn about my Health Coaching services. There is a contact form at the end of every post. It is easy to fill out and will come right to my email. I respect your privacy and never share your information. All communications are private and secure. All new customers receive one month of coaching for only 25 dollars. What can we accomplish in one month? Let me help you reach your health goals. Check out my updated Meals with Melissa, and Distance Reiki plans. I will be updating all plans in the coming months.

Disclaimer

Sign up for my Mailchimp mailing list to receive great offers, specials and freebies.

Processing…

Success! You're on the list.

Whoops! There was an error and we couldn't process your subscription. Please reload the page and try again.

Wellness Wednesday: Reiki for Stress Relief or Anxiety

February 19, 2020 / healthbuddymelissa / Leave a comment

Stress and Anxiety are kind of similar, but different. They can both be acute and quick, or chronic and long-lasting. Chronic Stress and Chronic Anxiety can be debilitating and cause illness. Learning to deal and cope with these issues is very beneficial.

Nursing is a very stressful job, especially bedside nursing. If you are doing bedside nursing then you know what I am talking about. But, any job can be stressful, as well as just everyday situations. We all deal with stress, and anxiety in different ways, but some people deal with it by not dealing with it. This can be incredibly unhealthy.

I am a level 2 Reiki Practitioner. I offer 15 minute Distance Reiki sessions to help heal negative energy caused by Stress and Anxiety. If you would like to purchase a session, you can visit my Etsy shopor use the contact form below to message me. Anyone who purchases a Reiki session will have a meet and greet prior to their session.

Disclaimer

reiki