Why Your Limiting Beliefs are Keeping You Stuck

I had a great conversation recently with my friend Sarah about the benefits of positive thinking in the healing process. We spoke about how our limiting beliefs and stories we tell ourselves every day really affect our ability to heal. These are beliefs like, “Something is inherently wrong with me,” “I’ll never be able to do the things I used to do,” “I’m not worthy of health and happiness,” or “I’m just a sick person and I’ll never get better.”

I was thinking about one of my limiting beliefs when I was first diagnosed with autoimmune disease. I felt like I was broken, or sick or incomplete. I felt like I couldn't do what everyone else could do, and I started to let the limiting belief of "I'm not enough" take over. Even throughout my healing journey I've always been searching for ways to "fix" myself.

My healing journey has been a challenging but great one. I've been able to come off medications, improve symptoms, skyrocket my energy and feel really amazing in my body, but I still find these "I'm not enough" thoughts sneaking in and try to stop them in their tracks and tell myself another story. Instead of staying stuck in my head and allowing myself to believe the story that, “I’m sick, I’m less than, these limitations define me,” I just choose again to think, “I’m strong, I’m brave, I’m powerful and my body is doing so much for me.”

I know living with a chronic disease (or let’s be real, just living) can be exhausting, and we're constantly trying to monitor, assess, test, diagnose and improve. It can be really easy to get stuck in these stories we tell ourselves about ourselves. I want to emphasize that they are just that, stories.

Yes there are the facts of having an illness and experiencing pain, fatigue and disability that are real and undeniable. I have autoimmune disease. It runs in my family. At times it’s caused me extreme suffering and limitations. I have to think a lot more about my diet and monitor my stress because I have it.

The point is though, that where our attention and thoughts go, energy flows. So, if we are constantly running through the story in our head of how we are sick and broken and unfixable, then we give a lot of energy and life to the ideas that we are indeed sick, broken and unfixable and they inevitably become our reality. I don’t mean to say that we can easily meditate away illness, or that all we need to heal disease is love and positive thinking because that’s not reality and it’s not the whole story. It’s not always rainbows and good vibes only.

I mean to say that we have the ability to choose the stories that we tell ourselves every single day and every single moment. We have the ability to stop thinking of ourselves as the victim, unworthy and unable to change, and starting thinking of ourselves as humans capable of healing and joy no matter where we are at right now.

So how do you do this? Even when you are feeling low, stuck, hopeless and frustrated?

I take my cue from Gabby Bernstein on this one. She says that when you find yourself feeling like a victim and telling yourself the same story over and over again and it’s making you feel awful, take these 2 steps to let it go and reclaim your confidence instantly. I’ve been using this technique and I have to say, it works for me!

Step 1: Say “WAIT: Why Am I Talking?”

When you find yourself repeating your victim story or hashing out a situation with a friend for the millionth time, take a beat and ask yourself, “Why Am I Talking?” Give yourself a moment to notice what you’re doing and say, “Okay, I’m in fear. I’m trying to control.” Are you telling yourself over and over about how everything is going wrong, or how you are never going to heal? Why are you doing this? How is it serving you? Allow yourself to witness the story so you can shift it.

Step 2: Go General

This is a beautiful tool from Abraham-Hicks. When you start going into a negative story, you create momentum and more fear picks up, and you start feeling totally out of control of your thoughts. So once you’ve said “WAIT,” you can go general. The concept of going general is to reach for thoughts that are general thoughts that you believe in so that you can start to shift your energy and shift out of that story.

General thoughts can be ones like, “I am good enough,” or “I have resources,” or “I have people who want to support me.” You can begin with neutral thoughts and gradually make them more positive. As you start to reach for these general thoughts you create momentum in the other direction. It puts you on a new path that feels energized, supported and more powerful.

To get out of the victim story, we have to be proactive because it’s easy to get sucked back in. You say, “WAIT: Why Am I Talking?” Then you pivot and go general. Deliberately and consciously begin choosing more general thoughts. When you begin to change your stories, you change your experiences. The stories we tell are the experiences we live — so as you refocus your energy and tell new stories about what’s working and what’s thriving, you’ll begin to awaken a different presence within you [1].

Gabby says to,  “Stop rehearsing the role of victim so you can claim the happiness that is your birthright,” and oh man do I agree with this.

Let me ask you, what comes up when you read this? Do you get angry or scared to let go of your story or see it from a new light? Do you feel so sick, wronged, or singled out that you don’t want to let go of your victim story because it gives you comfort or relief? If you do that’s ok, you are human.  It can be really comfortable to be the victim (I’ve been there many times myself not only with illness but in relationships too) because you don’t have to do anything. Life is happening to you and you are a mere product of your circumstances.  It’s easy and doesn’t demand anything of us and we constantly find evidence to prove our case that we have been wronged, aren’t capable of healing, or are unable to change.

When we begin to shift out of this mentality and own up to the role we play in our own lives, we begin to powerfully shift how we feel and act on a daily basis and amazing things happen. This technique has really helped me, and I hope it helps you too. What are some of your limiting beliefs that have come up while reading this? Ask yourself, are they true? And go from there. Remember, don’t believe everything you think ;) 

If you want to talk more about your struggle with chronic illness and cultivating a healing mindset, I offer free 30-minute discovery sessions.  Schedule yours by clicking on the button below!

How to Build a Delicious Lunch Bowl (AIP)

You may have heard me rant about "the boring salad" a few days ago, and I'm still on a mission to banish the idea that eating healthy needs to be sad, boring and bland. You do not need to angrily chew carrot sticks and choke down iceberg lettuce and resent the person next to you with the delicious looking stirfy from the food truck down the road. You do not need to sacrifice flavor and enjoyment. You do not need to feel deprived. At all. If you deprive yourself all in the quest to be "healthy" chances are this will backfire and you'll find yourself mindlessly eating pop tarts (yes they are still a thing and were in the hospital break room yesterday) because you feel sorry for yourself, or feeling so hungry and unsatisfied that you crack and eat anything in sight. There is so much more available to us in our food supply that is nourishing and healthy besides tasteless boiled chicken and raw broccoli! 

What I think? Life is too short to eat boring salads. 

The way to be successful in this mission and get out of this boring, healthy eating rut is to get inspired and think outside the box. Next up in the list of inspired lunches is my all time favorite: The Lunch Bowl. Bowls are the best way to get variety and create satisfying, filling, nourishing lunches that you can take on the go. 

This week's guide is in line with the Autoimmune Paleo Diet.  Depending on your needs and preferences you can add or subtract different proteins, nuts, seeds, gluten-free grains etc. It's up to you! This AIP lunch bowl serves as a great base balanced with protein, good fats, fiber and carbohydrates from veggies for you to customize to your liking. 

How to Build Your AIP Lunch Bowl

1. Start with a base of leafy greens: spinach, kale, arugula, lettuce, endive

2. Add unlimited raw, roasted, steamed or grilled veggies: beets, roasted asparagus, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, mushrooms, zucchini, cabbage, fennel, cucumber

3. Add a starchy vegetable for carbohydrates: sweet potato, squash, carrot, celeriac, parsnip, radish, rutabaga, turnip, yam, plantain

4. Include protein: salmon, tuna, grilled chicken, turkey meatballs, good quality lunch meat

5. Healthy fats: avocado, olive oil or coconut oil drizzled on top

6. Top with dressings and sauces (the best part!): guacamole, lemon/ lime squeezed on top, mango salsa, basil pesto, avocado dill ranch dressing, tzatziki

Here is the Green Goddess Lunch Bowl recipe from my Autoimmune Paleo Batch Cooking Meal Plan here >>

 

Green Goddess Lunch Bowl

Ingredients 

Makes 1 serving

Shredded rotisserie chicken (bought previously made)

Greens of your choice (spinach, kale, lettuce)

Roast root veggies (get the recipe here >>)

Green Goddess Dressing (Vegan) adapted from karalydon.com.

1 garlic clove

1 avocado

5 tablespoons olive oil

6 tablespoons water

3/4 cup basil

1/4 cup parsley

1/4 cup chives

1/2 cup scallions (white parts removed) Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

Directions 

Add greens to a bowl. Heat shredded chicken and root veggies and then toss into bowl. Add in any other veggies you have on hand! Drizzle dressing on top and enjoy.

Dressing

Add all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Get the rest of the 7-day AIP meal plan for free by clicking here! >>

In my free Autoimmune Paleo Batch Cooking Meal Plan you will receive: 

+ 7 day meal plan
+ Step by step instructions for how to cook an entire week’s worth of food in just two, 2-hour sessions (life changing)
+ Grocery lists
+ Twelve of my favorite, easy, AIP compliant recipes!

Enjoy making delicious and nutritious meals in way less time.  

Transition from Work Routine

As a RN in the Intensive Care Unit I experienced some gnarly stuff on a daily basis. Caring for people on life support with all sorts of tubes and drains in their bodies, consoling family members in unthinkable pain after losing a loved one, concentrating so hard for 10 hours straight to ensure I didn’t miss a thing. At the end of these shifts I was done. I was an exhausted, stressed out, shell of a human. I would get home and it would take me hours to unwind, replaying things I did or didn’t do in my head and processing the events of the day.

I still do this even in a very different job setting. (When running your own business the lines between work and not work can get really blurry, ya know?) Or I guess I did do this until a few years ago when a practitioner suggested I start a “transition from work routine.” It was really evident that I was carrying around my physical and emotional stress from the work day into my hours spent outside of work.  It was taking a toll on my body and mind as I was never really able to turn “off.”

I started a new routine so that when I came home from work I would really intentionally “transition” into the rest of my day.  For me this looked like taking a shower with really nice smelling soap and burning some incense/sage while honoring what I did that day and moving on. It’s not like it erased the day, but it allowed me to get into a different headspace where I was able to be present and enjoy the rest of my day before bed without replaying everything I had just done and living in the past. 

This transition from work is a simple practice I now encourage all of my health coaching clients to implement. Most of us are busy, stressed and overworked and find it really hard to turn off. We may look forward to getting home after work all day (is it 5:00 yet?) but then proceed to check emails and carry the stress of the work day around with us consciously or unconsciously. (I say unconsciously because sometimes I would think I was just fine and would weep at a touching soft drink commercial because I hadn’t really processed my emotional stress from the previous work days. Please tell me I’m not the only one that does this?).  This stress can seep into all areas of life outside of work and affect relationships, mood, sleep quality, health and how you show up as a human in your everyday life.

This transition from work routine will look really different for each person.  The only thing required is that you do it mindfully, and with intention. Some ideas for a transition from work routine:

• Change into comfortable clothing

• Take a relaxing shower or bath

• Burn sage or incense to clear space

• Breathe in some relaxing essential oils

• Deep belly breathing (watch my 4-7-8 breathing video here >>) for 5 minutes

• Guided meditation (these are easier if you find it really hard to sit in silence after the work day. I like these ones from Deepak Chopra >>)

• Write down some of the most stressful things you experienced in a journal so they aren’t swirling in your head all night.

• Light some candles and relax for 10 minutes

• Make a cup of tea

• Do some hamstring stretches to release stuck energy

• Lay on your back with your legs up the wall for a few minutes

It doesn’t have to be anything long or fancy, it just has to work for you. These small shifts make the biggest difference. Try this for the next week and let me know how it goes for you!

If you want to talk more about mindful stress reduction and how to make it work in your life, I offer free 30-minute discovery sessions.  Schedule yours by clicking on the button below!

Is Your Poop Normal?

I know, I said poop. I’m a Registered Nurse and Nutrition Coach you guys, poop is a big part of the job. Our digestive function is absolutely critical to our overall health. Food does not simply go in your mouth and out the other end.  There are many complex processes that play a role in how food is broken down, absorbed and assimilated into the body.  Elimination give us so much information about how our digestive system is working as a whole and is definitely something we need to pay attention to.  

So today, we’re talking about poop.

Every nutrition coaching client I have fills out a 5-Day Food Diary complete with symptoms and details about bowel movements using the Bristol Stool Chart as a guide (I really am a nurse).

In this chart the ideal poop is a Type 4. Anything above it indicates some level of constipation, and anything below it means loose stools.

Where do your bowel movements measure up? When evaluating your poop you want to look at color, consistency, presence of undigested food particles etc. to tell you what is going on in your digestive system.

When it comes to troubleshooting elimination everyone is so very different and there are many underlying factors that it takes time to figure out. However, here is a quick and dirty guide with a few tips to get you to a Type 4.

If you are Type 1-3:

You should be having 1-3 bowel movements a day (yes, really!). If you are not having (regular) daily bowel movements, or find yourself straining, having pain or incomplete bowel movements - you are likely constipated.  

Common underlying causes of constipation:

• Food allergies/ intolerances

• Dehydration

• Lack of “good” bacteria in the gut

• Impaired digestion/ absorption

• Certain prescription drugs

• Stress or anxiety

• Lack of fiber in the diet

• Thyroid or hormone imbalance

A few general tips to improve constipation:

• Stay hydrated

• Consume more fiber (in the form of colorful fruits and veggies): Insoluble fiber from these sources helps to move stool along the digestive tract to be eliminated.

• Eat good fats: Good fats (olive oil, avocados, salmon, coconut) help to lubricate the digestive system and keep things moving.

• Try probiotic rich foods or supplements to help balance the good and bad bacteria in the gut.

• Exercise is key to keep things moving!

If you are Type 5-7:

If you are having loose, watery stools that occur more than 1-3 times per day and experience urgency, cramping or pain with elimination - that’s diarrhea. (I probably don’t have to tell you what diarrhea is, I feel like when you know you know am I right?) Diarrhea is a symptom of an underlying issue. Loose stools are usually a way to get rid of something the body views as toxic.

Common underlying causes of diarrhea:

• Food allergies or sensitivities

• Food poisoning or viral infection

• Lack of “good” bacteria in the gut

• Lactose intolerance

• Impaired digestion/ absorption (especially with fats)

• Antibiotics

• Stress and anxiety

To improve diarrhea you need to find the underlying cause (if you are experiencing severe, chronic diarrhea stop reading this blog and definitely talk to a doctor as you can experience dehydration and malnutrition).  Here are a few common examples:

• Stress and anxiety: The gut brain connection is a powerful thing. To address stress as the underlying cause first evaluate sources of stress and implement real stress reduction techniques such 4-7-8 breathing.

• Food intolerance: work with a practitioner to obtain food sensitivity testing or go through an elimination diet to uncover potential intolerances in a systematic way.

• Antibiotic use: antibiotics happen. They kill the bad bacteria making us sick or infected, but wipe out the good guys too. During a round of antibiotics make sure to repopulate the gut with probiotics rich foods or supplements.

Alright you guys, thanks for talking about poop with me. Here’s to perfectly consistent Type 4’s all the time!!!

If you want to talk more about optimizing digestion and finding the right foods for your body, I offer free, 30-minute discovery sessions.  Schedule yours by clicking on the button below!