Feelings, Feelings, Feelings, Tacos, Feelings

This F word does not top my list of favourites. Namely because, after all this time, feelings still feel foreign to me (this is a lot of unintentional alliteration and I'm totally digging it, LOL)

Here's the thing. I grew up in trauma. As a result, for survival, I would naturally disassociate. I remember explaining to my Mom that I often felt like Dexter (sans the killing people part of course)- knowing in certain situations that I should feel something or act a certain way but just feeling empty on the inside.

I've worked my ass off in trauma therapy to begin to emotionally regulate myself. Now, here and there I do feel things. Sometimes super strongly. Sometimes not at all. But as time moves forward there are still MANY days where I'm like Damn ya'll, how do people move through life FEELING THEIR FEELINGS? It SUCKS AND ITS REALLY HARD SOMETIMES. Can I get an Amen.

I think that the most brave, honest thing we can do is to stand in what we are feeling, to own it, to nurture it, to not judge it, to sit with it, to not beat it with a stick, to not run away from it. In lieu of the first FEEL TO HEAL post I've compiled a list of things that have helped me with navigating the Feels and may also help you too.

1)  Find Yo Safe Space - Life can be hectic. And hard. And can feel like it's moving at 1000 miles an hour. I used to work 14 hour days in restaurant management, 5-6 days a week and often times the thing that saved me was knowing I could come home and sit on my yoga mat in this corner nook that I made in my apartment. I made that nook so freaking cozy, and warm and inviting and then I didn't let anyone else come into my nook because it was my space to let all my shit out. Create a safe space that you can come back to and see what happens. (And maybe your safe space isn't at your house- maybe its at a SoulCycle in the studio. Maybe its in your woodshop. Wherever it is- whatever you want to be- just make it and claim it as YOUR PLACE).

2) Create space, then Sit with it. Release it- I completed my yoga training with this bright, beautiful soul named Amelia from Winnipeg. She gave birth to a baby boy and then lost him shortly after. She has been super honest and open about how this process has changed her and her life- and I remember reading about how (and I'm paraphrasing because this was awhile ago) she decided to set aside 30 minutes every day to just sit with it all. I remember her saying that even on days when she felt ok, she would still take the 30 minutes. I also really like this example because I find the compartmentalization helpful. For ex, When the feels came up and I was running a service on a 14 hour day, I would set it aside in my mind and know that I could come back to it later during that 30 minute time frame when I was home. Things are different now that I'm out of the restaurant industry but there are still days when I come home, lay on my back, stare up at the ceiling and just feel it all (without any vices) even though it hurts like hell. I know this sounds fluffy but its not. I've battled my demons in this space. Its hard. But you got this. You are strong enough to sit through anything.

3) Stop Beating the Shit out of Yourself- I know, I'm swearing a lot in this post. But I'm serious. Stop beating the shit out of yourself. This is the HARDEST thing to change but will have the greatest impact on your life. This is a super slow process and it takes a lot of mental work but it is definitely possible. Let me tell you this. You are entitled to your feelings. All of them. Your journey is different than everyone else around you. What you say matters, what has happened to you matters, how you feel about it matters. Whatever asshole voice in your head is ridiculing you about the way you are moving through something or dealing with something- that voice does not belong to you. And you can trump that voice by re-learning a new one. I promise. I've done it. But it's about re-training your mind. Writing encouragement letters to yourself works. Writing cheesy positive stuff on post it notes works. Keeping a journal and writing hilarious stuff in it works. Anything. Just start small. Find ways to encourage yourself. Even if it feels unnatural, you gotta fake it till you make it. 

4) Surround Yourself with Good People- My life HUGELY shifted when I began to look at my close relationships and see what was serving me and what wasn't. I had to get honest with myself. Support systems are EVERYTHING. And I know that I can't move through all this stuff on my own. I need encouragement and guidance from strong, empowering, kind women. I need that. We aren't hard-wired to do this on our own anyways. No one is. I know now that on days I'm struggling with the Feels, I have a crazy awesome support system of people I can call to say Hey. I'm having a hard time. Can you listen for a few minutes? Can you offer me some Love? Everyone deserves to feel supported and loved and accepted and I encourage you to seek this out if it is missing in your life.

That's it, that's all for now. I never know how to end these. Feel your feels and eat some tacos BYE! xo

Meet Gillian. This is her Story

As the Move to Heal Project begins to unfold, I've found myself reaching out to a lot of people that I have met at different points in my life.

Someone once told me that the energy you put out will attract similar energy, and as time goes on I am beginning to believe in that whole-heartedly.

I met Gillian and her friend Marisa filming the Food Network a few years ago, and both of them still continue to inspire me to be the best version of myself.

Below, Gillian shares how she began 2018- committing to do yoga every day for 365 days- and how it is helping her find clarity + surrender amidst the heaviness.

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I recently surrendered to the mat.

December got heavy for me. Life forced me to re-evaluate myself, my decisions, my past and my goals.

As one does, I kept myself busy and dismissed self questioning in exchange for Christmas parties and heavy pours of wine.

By the end of it all, I was ready to get clear. Yoga had been sneaking into my life subtly but the voice inside of me was getting louder:

“Make it a practice.”

And when a bourbon infused version of myself declared boldly on New Year’s Eve “I’m going to do 365 days of yoga!” I took my hungover limbs to yoga the next day, and decided that since I am a woman of my word, I would do exactly that.

When you get clear about what you want, you get it. So when I reached out to my favorite yoga studio and owner, and asked if I could work in exchange for classes, she welcomed the idea.

I realized that first day that yoga with a hangover really sucks.

I also remembered from previous times practicing that it always took away from the depth of my practice. When I was treating my body right on all accounts, I was able to get into the postures and my meditation on a whole new level.

So like any all or nothing gal (I live to self-experiment), I decided I would also cut out alcohol and coffee. At least for the first 30 days of my #365daysofyoga.

I can only describe the first two weeks as ugly but beautiful.

Whenever I do any kind of “detox” I always feel like crap at first. Normally, during this time, I hide from the world. But I was committed. So there I was on days when I was severely depressed, bloated, gassy, stinky from sweating it all out...you name it. I was there. Awkwardly unwinding my body and surrendering to the mat. I held back tears in child’s pose. I laughed. I felt embarrassed and I felt proud.

But no matter what I was going through physically or emotionally, I always left feeling calm and centered. I also found warmth in the community of the studio, appropriately called “Union”, and a sense of belonging I hadn’t felt since I moved to California.

One night after class my favorite yoga teacher looked at me before leaving and said, “You inspire me. You show up every day.” And I felt so humbled that even this wounded version of myself could somehow inspire.

I’m on day 17 now. They say it takes 21 days to make a habit, so I’m almost there.

Every day is different. Every class is different. I’m always humbled and fascinated by where my body and mind will take me. Some days it is (almost) effortless. Most days I struggle with my ego and remind myself not to compare my practice to others. But every day I leave feeling better. I am more and more mentally free. I am more and more me.

One of my teachers describes yoga as returning to your most natural state of being, and I couldn’t describe it any better way.

I am so grateful for this surrender. To the mat. To myself. To finding some inner peace during challenging times in such a sweet way. 

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Gillian Young Barkalow is my beautiful, wonderful friend and also a Health & Fitness Coach that is doing some pretty amazing stuff.

Find her on Instagram: @gybstrength

AND check out her 4 week online workshop that she'll be doing this February (details in the poster below!)

Meet Cassie. This is her Story

I always laugh a little when people ask how I got into running around so much.

The reason I laugh is because I used to hate running; I thought it was only something you did when you were chasing something (like a bus or a Frisbee) or if you were being chased (mostly from anyone trying to tickle me or defending me in sport).

The reality is that it took being broken to make me actually WANT to run. A complete rupture of my Achilles tendon six years ago made me want what I couldn't do. To walk. To run. As I healed I found a joy in the freedom of movement that I had never felt before.

This experience of finding freedom in running was an essential grounding point years later as I suffered through being mentally broken- ridden with anxiety and drowning in depression.

The rhythmic motion of my internal breath, heart, and external limbs combined with the discomfort and (eventual) high of relief was really the only thing that made me feel human. I began to run longer distances over more challenging terrain- up to 100km in the mountains- as I struggled and found peace in the meditation, making friends with my suffering.

While physically and mentally I am in a much better place today, I continue to believe I am in this place because I know how to ground myself in movement. Running has taught me, and continues to teach me, this lesson. If I can make friends with my discomfort, the world becomes a less scary place and things that once seemed impossible become possible again

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Follow Cass and her Run Adventures on Instagram @cassieshirley

Waking up During the Night? This can mean different things depending on the time!

So- I am a frequent night-waker. It's rare that I get through the night without waking up multiple times. This has been something that has been happening with me for years- and also something I've never really given much thought to. I've always chalked it up to not being able to shut my brain off before bed.

I've had so many conversations about so many things with my amazing and intelligent friend, Dr. Camille Krause- and this came up in one of our chats awhile back. I had NO idea waking up at different times in the night could mean different things.

In regards to the Move to Heal Project- a big learning component for me over the years has been looking at how to love and care for myself. Getting a good nights sleep definitely falls into this category, which is why I wanted to share it here.

If you're wanting more info on Dr. Camille Krause, you can find her info under our FEEL TO HEAL page, as well as through the link at the bottom of this article.

Happy Sleeping :)

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Dr. Camille Krause, ND

So, you're waking up in the night?
 
Different times of waking can actually mean different problems. Sorting these problems out is the type of thing I do daily with my patients to get them sleeping through the night. 

(I'd love to share some of this information with you below!)
 
2am Wake Time

If you start waking up at 2am, the likely culprit is blood sugar.

When blood sugar gets too low the body thinks it’s a matter of survival and will send out alarm signals.
The alarm signals are sent out as adrenaline, which may feel like different things depending on the person:
Some people may feel this as being wired and wide awake in the middle of the night without knowing why, without anxiety or hunger signals.
Some people may also feel ravenous in the middle of the night.
Other people may experience this as sweating, jitteriness, heart palpitations - ie, anxiety!

START NOW:
Try a snack before bed. Something that includes fat, fibre, and protein. The easiest example would be a small handful of nuts.
Balancing your blood sugar through the whole day is also important!

Alcohol

This pattern of 2am waking is also seen in some people when they have had alcohol in the evening. Alcohol causes blood sugar to rise and then drop off suddenly within a 1-3 hour span.
The type of alcohol doesn’t necessarily matter – so even though wine actually has very little carbohydrates, it’s not the sugar that is causing a blood sugar spike, it’s the body’s response to alcohol.
 
START NOW:
See if you notice a pattern of whether your sleep is affected by alcohol. 

5am Wake Time (or, 1-2 hours before your alarm)

the likely culprit here is cortisol.

This means you're feeling wired (as if it's time to start the day) even though your alarm hasn't gone off yet.
Cortisol is known as a stress hormone, but it’s also an integral part of our circadian rhythm.  It’s our "get-up-and-go hormone", and helps us feel awake and alert throughout the course of the day.
You may notice that if you sleep in past this early morning wakeup, you actually feel more drained and groggy – because the cortisol is no longer as high and helping with alertness.

The goal is to calm down the cortisol overnight, so that it isn't overactive in the early mornings, and lets the person get those restful last few hours of sleep – then have cortisol be available to them during the day, when they need it to focus!
 
START NOW:
Many things calm down cortisol before bed, including exercise (earlier in the day), mindfulness, no screens or stimulating content before bed, and a bedtime routine that shakes off the thoughts of a busy day.   

If you are waking throughout the night, and the times aren't constant, there is more complexity to the issue - but of course it is still solvable!

Nighttime waking may be related to hot flashes, progesterone deficiency, or serotonin deficiency, as a few examples.
 
Lastly, if someone is waking multiple times in the night to use the washroom, this could mean they are not sleeping DEEPLY enough.

The body should be able ignore signals of a full bladder (within reason), while still maintaining sphincter function, and allow you to sleep.
If those bladder signals are making it to your conscious mind, you are sleeping too lightly!  I use the number of nighttime trips to the bathroom as a marker for how deeply someone is sleeping. We cannot always increase how long you sleep for, but we can certainly improve sleep quality.

START NOW:
Track your sleep and your wake times. Note how many times you’re using the washroom in the night, and whether you’re able to fall back asleep easily when you do wake.  
Do you notice what wakes you up in the first place?

With regard to the root cause of your different wake-up times, both the

1) 2 am pattern of blood sugar dysregulation AND
2) 5 am cortisol dysregulation

can also be rooted in burnout.  Burnout can be treated!  Sleep is a foundation for all the other hormones and biochemistry of the body to work properly. When someone is able to sleep deeply through the night, their body can function better on many different levels.

Often tracking the pattern is a helpful place to start, and a healthcare practitioner can better guide what those patterns mean, and what to do about it.

You’ll find more information on burnout atwww.FatigueFixWaterloo.com

Eating for Energy: Maca Energy Smoothie Bowl

For todays post, I've paired up with Alyssa, founder of The Running Kitchen! Alyssa and I both agree that our lives began to shift when we began to pay attention to what we were eating, and how we were choosing to fuel our bodies.

Below she shares a little bit of her story, and what she likes to eat when she needs a pick-me-up:

I’ve dealt with weight issues my entire life. I’d feel upset after eating too much, and then I’d feel even worse when I stepped on the scale or looked at myself in the mirror. So after years of struggling, and practically starving myself to maintain what I thought was a healthy weight, I finally decided to make healthy eating and staying active a priority.

Even though I eat (mostly) healthy and regularly workout, there are times when my mood still feels completely off. Between balancing my career in advertising as a copywriter, starting The Running Kitchen and finding time to meal prep and workout – I’m often exhausted and completely stressed. That doesn’t even factor in spending time with friends or family. I wanted to find a natural way to easily help boost my mood, and give me a bit more energy. That’s why I decided to give Maca a try.

Maca is considered a herbal adaptogen. That means it can change the balance of your hormones, adapt to stress and help balance anxiety. I find that it has a nutty flavour, making it perfect to add to smoothies and other treats. Since it’s rich in magnesium, copper, iron, potassium, and B12, it’s also a natural energy booster.  

Maca has actually been around for thousands of years. It’s pretty interesting that warriors consumed maca in ancient times to boost stamina before going into battle. So you can imagine how beneficial it could be if you’re training for a race and need to increase your endurance, or just looking for some extra energy to prevent an afternoon slump.

I’ve created this nutritious and energy-boosting Raspberry Maca Energy Smoothie Bowl full of fruits, veggies, healthy fats, and of course maca. It’s perfect to help re-fuel post workout, first thing in the morning, or just as a snack. I hope you enjoy it!

*It’s recommended to take smaller amounts of maca when you first start using it, so around ½ tsp. is a great way to start.

Raspberry Maca Energy Smoothie Bowl (please note the banner photo does not depict what this bowl looks like)
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 Cup milk (I use homemade cashew coconut milk) 
- ½ Cup frozen cauliflower
- Handful frozen avocado
- 1/2 Frozen banana
- 1/2 Cup frozen raspberries
-  1Scoop vanilla protein (I use Genuine Health vegan fermented protein) 
- ½- 1 Tsp. Maca
- 1 Spoonful almond butter
Suggested toppings
- Granola
- Chia seeds
- Coconut flakes
- Fresh raspberries
- Hemp seeds

INSTRUCTIONS
Add all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend for 2 minutes or until fully smooth and creamy. Add your favourite toppings and enjoy! 

Write to Heal

Someone I was chatting with a long time ago said something that really stuck with me:

"You can't have just one lifeline"

I brushed it off at the time, but as I moved through depression, anxiety, and C-PTSD- I realized how important it is to have multiple streams of support. Ie- a doctor you trust, a great counsellor, a strong inner circle of friends, a community you can be involved in- etc.

Writing has always been in my bones. While I have never been much of a journaller, I have always felt a release writing creatively through essays and poems.

I began to write poetry again after reading Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur. Her book moved me so much. It was the first poetry book I had read that was raw and spoke directly to the pain she had experienced. On top of that, it was also so open and completely badass and empowering.

I knew that if she could speak to her pain, I could too- that maybe, if it was difficult to talk about, it may be a little easier to write about.

8 months later I wrote a novel, which I recently self-published.

The Write to Heal portion of the site will be a space where I will share my own writing in hopes of inspiring others to pull out a pen and paper and explore what they have gone through.

All poems will be paired with yoga- just like in my book- to encourage movement.

For Todays Poem:

He tells you he loves you

and then he leaves you

Over and over again

He does it until you believe

This is what love is

-Father

(Camel pose/Ustrasana)- To Open the Heart

To purchase an e-copy of Cayla's book, copy and paste this link into your browser:

http://www.blurb.ca/b/8106364-trauma-revival?ebook=634808

Mood + Hydration

When I started the Move to Heal project, I wanted to create a space on the site that not only addressed movement, but also addressed how to properly fuel the body. (Therefore- the Fuel to Heal portion of the site was born).

A few years ago I was completely unaware of the connection between my mood, the food I was eating, and its effects on my body. I used to eat in a way that was very unattached.

For example: some days I would eat something sugary in the morning and then drink two coffees on an empty stomach and wonder why I was crashing in the afternoon. This contributed to me being interchangeably tired and irritable. 

During this time I was also struggling with extreme anxiety; I sought help from so many specialists and doctors. Every single one of them told me to cut out coffee if I wanted to see a change in my anxiety levels. I finally gave in and did it- and the results were crazy. The anxiety I was feeling on a day to day basis was cut in half (if not more) just by switching from coffee to herbal tea. (I'm not gonna lie, it was the hardest thing EVER but completely worth it).

 A lightbulb went on in my head after that- it was the first time I realized the connection between what I ate and how it made me feel. It was my AHA moment.

Stories and experiences like these are the types of things we will continue to explore in the Fuel to Heal portion of the site.

For todays post, I have teamed up with Tamara, Owner of The Fix + Co, to chat about something that is so simple but could have a huge effect on how you feel on a day to day basis: HYDRATION!

Staying hydrated is just as important as the food choices you make because it supports your overall sense of well-being. When you are dehydrated it can affect both your mood and how you feel in your body. For example:
Low energy
Stiff joints
Constipation
Dry skin

While Caffeinated drinks like black tea and coffee are delish (and I'll add alcoholic beverages to this list too), they can be super dehydrating and disrupt your blood-sugar balance (cue- dizziness, lethargy, etc).

While I would never stand on my soapbox and tell anyone to avoid these options (I had a coffee and wine yesterday), I would encourage you to be a little more mindful of what you are drinking on a day to day basis.

I will confess- and this is where Tamara comes in- I am not a fan of drinking water. I'm just not. I have to force myself to drink it most days.

Tamara encourages you to switch up your water game by adding Fruit + Herbs! (I live under a rock, I have never thought of this, other than lemon haha)

At the Fix + Co, they offer something called the "Seasonal Refresher", which is a combo of Watermelon, Lime and Mint.

I have never put a ton of thought into adding fruit to my water, BUT the cool thing about all this is that Watermelon actually has so many added benefits. WHO KNEW.

Here are a few fun facts about Watermelon:
+ Watermelon contains cucurbitacin E, a triterpene anti-inflammatory phytonutrient which is helpful towards cardiovascular health
+Watermelon is an amazing source of Lycopene (a powerful antioxidant). The more your watermelon ripens, the richer the lycopene content as it provides the rich red colour.
+Watermelon is high in antioxidants and high in Vitamin C, making it cell protective and beautifying for the skin. It is also a good source of pantothenic acid, copper, biotin, potassium, vitamin A vitamin B1, vitamin B6, and magnesium.

On my own journey with Mental health I have learned that there are little puzzle pieces that, when pieced together, all contribute to the bigger picture. 

In NO WAY am I suggesting that drinking more water will cure anxiety or depression. Moving through both of these things can feel like an uphill battle and healing takes time, effort, patience, and work. 

What I am saying is that being mindful of what we eat and drink daily does matter. The little things ARE the big things (at least in my experience). Every little change helps.

For more ideas on staying hydrated in unique and delish ways, check out The Fix online: www.thefixandco.com

Meet Lauren. This is her Story

I stole my first yoga DVD from Target when I was 17.

I would drive down to Children’s Hospital in Seattle for my weekly outpatient treatment, and on the way back I would take a detour.

I had chosen outpatient over inpatient and was happy to have my license and my supposed freedom. At 17 I decided that my freedom was best used up in seeing how much random shit I could take from Target without getting caught.

I found out, the answer was a lot of random shit.

Shampoo, conditioner, make up, random shirts that weren’t even my size, shoes still in their cardboard box, etc. I would walk in, fill up my purse, and walk out. Just like that. Then I would head home and bask in my new collection. Unload, lose, donate, or sell —and the process would repeat.

One day, I stumbled upon a Rodney Yee Yoga DVD. I do not remember what I knew of yoga. Or why I wanted the DVD. But I grabbed it, put it in my purse, and walked out. That night at home, I shut my door and inserted the DVD. Within the four walls of my room, I started to replicate what he was doing. The foreign shapes his body was making, the foreign way the breath would move through his body.

My nights would continue as followed. I would have to eat my meal in front of my mom. I wasn’t allowed to be alone for the hour following. I had to be checked for self harm scars following my nightly showers. And then I had my freedom. But instead of stealing, I chose Rodney.  

And I kept coming back.

Fast forward to college I still practiced yoga and I was still quite deep in my eating disorder.

Most importantly, I still had no idea why I kept coming back to yoga. But despite the restricting, the purging, the sleeping with guys, and the drinking—I still practiced yoga.

I never knew that I could have control over my body. For the majority of my life, my body was controlled by the people around me.

How to dress.

How to move.

What to do.

I was a doll.

Their doll.

I do not steal anymore. I do not purge anymore. I do not cut anymore. I do not hook up with random guys just to feel needed anymore.

But, I still do yoga. It has been a constant in my life since I was 17.

Present day, I either teach yoga or practice yoga daily. And I although I consider myself recovered, the days I struggle are the days I need yoga the most.

Yoga taught me how to breathe.

Yoga taught me that my body is my body.

Yoga taught me that the simple inhale

And exhale

Is enough to ignite a flame.

I had to continue pressing forward. I had to continue my search for peace. I had to continue the search for my breath.

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Find Lauren on Instagram: @thesimplestself

Find Lauren Online: www.thesimplestself.com

Serotonin Smoothie *

One of my favourite ways to incorporate protein into my diet is in a SMOOTHIE! And just like Camille talked about in her article on Protein and Serotonin (posted May 15th), incorporating protein into your breakfast can be pivotal in terms of how you feel on a day to day basis.

One of my favourite smoothie recipes was concocted by my friend Mel at our local run club. It has the perfect amount of antioxidants (hemp seeds), protein (bee pollen), and electrolytes (coconut water).

One of the biggest changes I've made in my life over the past few years has been paying attention to my diet. I began to notice a connection between food and mood. Ie I noticed a boost and felt more uplifted when my diet contained more whole, nourishing foods and less sugar and caffeine.

This blog post just scratches the surface but the FUEL TO HEAL section of this site will be a continual dialogue on how what we eat relates to how we feel.

The smoothie recipe is listed below. Happy fueling :)

Super Serotonin Smoothie:

1.5 cups spinach

1 banana

half an English cucumber

1 peeled lime

5 basil leaves

2 Tbs bee pollen

pinch of Himalayan sea salt

1 cup coconut water

1/2 cup coconut milk

GARNISH: toasted coconut flakes// hemp seed with cacao// bee pollen

Photo cred: @acqtastemag

Protein + Serotonin: How one affects the other

I see patients in my office every day that would like to address their mood- even if depression and anxiety are not their chief concern. I will often work with them on the basics of diet, correcting nutrient deficiencies, or optimizing digestion/absorption.

One of the most profound changes someone can make, no matter how simple it may seem, is to simply incorporate 20 grams of protein into breakfast. This is not the end-all and be-all of a good diet, BUT it’s an easy change that supports having a foundation to stand on.

Protein works with your biochemistry to make sure serotonin gets made. We know of serotonin as our “happiness hormone.” It is a neurotransmitter that supports us feeling balanced, content, and calm. When your serotonin is made properly, it provides you with the opportunity to feel as happy as you choose to feel.

Let’s talk about serotonin and how to get more of it

I love to teach people how serotonin is made. There’s a lot that goes into making us feel happy, joy, or content (ie mindset vs circumstance, for example). But if we back up for a second and get really scientific about things, I can show you another layer to that happiness. The human body is an incredible machine, and when we understand how it works we can facilitate its best function.

We need the right neurotransmitters firing with the right neurons to feel any emotion. The goal in life is not to be ecstatic all the time- it is to feel the whole range of human emotion.

So what happens if we don’t have those neurotransmitters where we need them when we need them? Life has a grey cloud hanging over it. Take a look. (Of COURSE there’s more to happiness than this, much more, but we’re getting to the scientific foundation here.)

Our end goal is to make serotonin BUT- in order to even begin this biochemical process we need protein. Along the way we also need various nutrients (left hand side) that are co-factors in the reactions (via enzymes shown on right hand side).

There may be several reasons why a person may not be getting adequate protein due to diet, or digestive issues. Many people are eating protein but not breaking it down properly, and we often end up with mood concerns. I won't get into digestive concerns here but they are important and I will write more on this topic in the future.  

So start off your day in a way that is going to sustain your energy and support your mood: aim for 20 grams of protein at breakfast. I challenge you to try it for a week and see what happens.

Check out some inspiration here:

https://www.buzzfeed.com/shannonrosenberg/high-protein-breakfasts-that-wont-leave-you-hangry?utm_term=.hyeemaEJP#.jdnR7zaK5

By Dr. Krause, ND

All her contact info can be found on  www.healthsourceimc.com 

For upcoming talks and more info on burnout, www.fatiguefixwaterloo.com

Hello World!

Welcome to the Move to Heal Project! 

Let me tell you a bit about who we are and how we came to be.

The Move to Heal Project was born with the idea to create a space that I really wanted- and needed- a few years ago but did not exist. 

My mom always told me that I came out of the womb worrying. Looking back on my childhood and into my teenage years I can say with certainty there was never a time when I didn't feel afraid. Even in happy moments it always felt like something terrible was about to happen.

I realize now this was because I was in the throes of experiencing long-term trauma. I never knew calm because my baseline was angst. Coupled with angst I began to experience bouts of depression. I eventually was diagnosed withComplex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which is what I still live with today.

Through my worst periods of anxiety and depression, I always seemed to turn to movement to buoy me. When I was anxious, I ran. When I was depressed, I walked. When the panic attacks happened, I did yoga.

Even if it was just five minutes I always felt a little, tiny bit better. I realize now, there is so much power in simply moving our bodies.

At the lowest of my low, I wanted an online space to access that openly talked about mental health, but also one that was pro-active. All I wanted was something to hold on to; something tangible that I could work with.  I wanted to hear stories of other people going through the same thing. I wanted ideas as to how things could get better; how I could help make them better. I wanted community. I wanted to feel less alone. 

These are the bones of the MTH project.

The MTH project is an online space that encourages movement as an aid for any mental health related issue. It is community focused- because we are stronger when we share our stories. It is also a space to learn about nutrition and fuel- everything our bodies need as they are healing.

Movement, nutrition, and community seem so natural to me now, but I never want to take for granted the things that I have learned along the way. Because I grew up detaching from everything my mind was blown in 2010 when I did my yoga teacher training and discovered my mind and body were connected; that one affects the other.

I whole-heartedly believe in this project because moving with purpose and intention actually changed my life.

While movement hasn't been the single thing that has lead me to a healthy and happy life, it has definitely been, and continues to be, an important building block in maintaining one.

My hope is for this project to have a domino effect; both on the way people view mental health and on the way we begin to address and move (literally) through it-individually and together.

So excited to start this journey with you! LETS GO!