Essence Health | Ann Petrus Baker

Category: Fitness

  • The Power of Intention

    The Power of Intention

    I’m writing this on January 1, the time to make all those resolutions for the new year that honestly, are destined to fail.  You can read many posts on the internet about why resolutions fail. Most will focus on lack of willpower or a good action plan, or lack of discipline or maybe there is something wrong with the goals themselves.

     

    I think it is more foundational than that. Most resolutions made come from a desire for self-improvement. What’s wrong with self-improvement?  It implies you need to be fixed. You aren’t acceptable right now. It comes from a place of lack, limitation and being flawed. “When I meet my weight loss, fitness, meditation, or productivity goals, then I will feel good about myself.”  (Image credit:  Tim Mossholder, www.unsplash.com)

    The heart knows the way. Run in that direction. – Rumi

    Resolutions often fail because deep down many people don’t believe they are worth it or have the capability to obtain their aspirations. Or we set goals based on something external, something you think you don’t have already “ I should look a certain way, be rich, happy, etc. When you come from a place of self-improvement, when does it end? At what point do you say, I’m done, I’m good enough? From this belief or perspective, why bother even trying?  I was hooked on self-improvement for years “ all in the name of health and wellness. I had to know the perfect diet, exercise plan, yoga pose, etc.  I couldn’t really get healthy until I dropped the lists of self-improvement goals and focused on self-acceptance and balance.What if you came from a place of self-acceptance, right now?  What if you knew what you truly desire is already within you? Despite all your imagined inadequacies and flaws, what if in this moment you accept yourself, give yourself a hug and relax? If this is allowed, a creative energy will bubble up “ a nudge from deep within pointing you to a desire. From here, an intention emerges that is aligned with your highest good. Maybe a desire emerges for peace or courage or connection. These qualities are like seeds of potential within you. An intention flows from this desire, for example:

    • I intend to stay calm during my work day.
    • I intend to speak my truth.
    • I intend to extend my self to make more social connections.

     

    This intention then becomes a compass for directing your actions. Your soul wants to experience the fullness of life and learn and grow through challenges. The personality can get in the way as its agenda is usually based on fear and survival. This is where getting real comes in. Look honestly at what’s behind the obstacles to living the life you really want. Opportunities for healing come up as you discover parts of you that don’t align with your highest intentions. These parts may be carrying old wounds or trauma that are somehow related to you moving forward. That healing can free you from the obstacles that sabotage the best of efforts.

    Intention setting is about creating what you want. Make room for what you desire instead of taking on a laborious project. The flower grows naturally given enough nurturing through water, sun, nutrients and pulling weeds, right?

    Start your new year with an honest look at where you are, and where you want to go and what you want to create. Schedule a free consult to learn how I can help you realize your potential and listen to the call of your heart.  Image credit: Heidi Fin, www.unsplash.com.

  • Pandexit

    Pandexit

    Are you feeling brain fog, fatigue or lack of motivation? Or maybe you feel energy again, giddiness after walking with a friend without a mask or adrenaline after eating at a restaurant after you’ve been fully vaccinated. Many have anxiety about re-emerging and being around other people.

    Welcome to the “pandexit”, the final phase of the pandemic coined by the self-described Nerdy Girls from a wonderful resource called “Dear Pandemic”. You can find their posts on social media as well.

    I’m happy to report it’s all normal!  We’ve been through a collective trauma this past year and half so how we emerge will be very unique to each one of us.

    Image credit: Zachary Nelson, www.unsplash.com

    The good news is the body/mind likes to be healthy, happy and connect with others.

    The good news is the body/mind likes to be healthy, feel happy and connect with others. That’s our natural state. Given the right conditions, you will hopefully regain your energy, anxiety will become less and less as we allow ourselves some freedom as restrictions are lifted. Of course depending on your vaccination status, you will need to weigh your risks with certain activities. So, what are those right conditions?

    How To Recover from Long Term Stress:

    • Sleep!  Go to bed early, sleep in a cold dark room, limit screen time 2 hours prior to bed time or wear blue light filtering glasses.
    • Exposure:  Start slow at socializing if you feel anxious at the thought. Walk with another vaccinated friend outdoors – super safe! Have a meal outdoors with a group. Stretch but not too much out of your comfort zone. We are wired for and crave connection so you will literally be swimming in feel-good neuro-chemicals that will help you feel at ease and wanting more.This will help you build up slowly.
    • Movement:  If you are exhausted, over-exercising will just keep you in a stress response so rather than running, choose walks in nature or bike rides. Add a friend or two to boost your mood.
    • Mindful breathing: Just becoming aware of the breath helps you connect with your body and your nervous system. It naturally slows down. If you are anxious you can be more intentional and inhale to a count of 4 and exhale to a count of 6 to turn off the stress response. Stress becomes a habit that we aren’t even aware of. Tuning into your breath several times/day helps to create new neural pathways.
    • Savor!  We have had over a year of alarming headlines and stories. What next?? We have become hyper vigilant and focused on the negative. This is a normal response from the brain that wants to keep you safe. We can re-wire this pattern with intentional savoring. When doing your daily activities, simply notice something beautiful or joyful or anything that makes you happy. Notice it for 20-30 seconds to actually create those new pathways in the brain and nervous system. Stop and enjoy simple moments during your day. Keep a savoring journal.  Think of those moments at night before you sleep for even more effect.
    • Nutrition: Opt for nutrient dense fruits and vegetables, good sources of protein, and stay away from sugar and the uppers (caffeine) and downers (alcohol) too  many people have gotten hooked on this past year and half. Everything you eat and drink is energy and information that directs every cell of your body. Nurture yourself with the best food possible!
    • Compassion for self and others: This has been a difficult year for everyone. Allow yourself to feel those feelings and give space to others to process theirs. Fatigue and sluggishness may be signs there are emotions that haven’t been processed.

    What to do if symptoms remain? Please send me a message or schedule a free consult. Or seek professional help with a mental health provider or physician if symptoms of depression and anxiety or extreme fatigue remain.

    I don’t think life will ever go back to what it was. Good thing or bad thing? Who knows?  I do believe that the universe is evolving and expanding towards growth and love. With that in mind perhaps some reflection questions would be helpful as you re-emerge so you can use this opportunity to create a life that better aligns with you:

    1. What loss did you experience in the past year?
    2. What new habits or gifts emerged or unexpected blessings?
    3. What changes have you noticed about yourself?
    4. What changes do you want to make permanent, what changes need some loving attention?
    5. What do you want to include again that you really missed?

    “And suddenly you know: It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.”  Meister Eckhart.

    Please check out my YouTube channel and Insight Timer for free meditations!

    Photo credit: www.unsplash.com Ekaterina Shakharova

  • You Are Probably Breathing Wrong

    You Are Probably Breathing Wrong

    Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art is a 2020 bestseller by James Nestor. This book is a fascinating and informative read and that’s from someone who has studied breathing and its connection to health for decades! We breathe 25,000 times/day and with each breath, we send signals to our body that can result in health and well-being or dis-ease.   I will do my best to summarize a few of his findings from extensive study, self-experimentation and interviews with “pulmonauts” from around the world.  (Photo credit: Max van den Oetelaar)

    How we breathe is as important as what we eat, how much we exercise, whatever genes we inherit. It’s that vital. – James Nestor

    1. Breath through your nose:  This was the biggest and most important takeaway for me. Breathing through your mouth triggers hormones that stimulate the stress response. That’s not all,  Nestor links mouth breathing to dental cavities, blood pressure, sleep apnea, and mood. The book describes how he participated in a self-experiment in collaboration with the Sinus Center at Stanford University.  He plugged his nose for 30 days and measured various markers of health. At the end of the 30 days, his health deteriorated greatly and he felt horrible. All of that reversed when he unplugged his nose. The benefits of nose breathing are related to how this kind of breathing moistens and purifies the air coming in. This leads to greater oxygenation of the blood and increase in nitric oxide which is associated with better blood circulation.  I have been trying to breath only through my nose when exercising and it has improved my recovery and also gives me more energy to exercise longer.  Try it!
    2. The book outlines many breathing techniques but he suggests the ideal breath is symmetrical – inhale to a count of 5.5 and exhale to a count of 5.5. This slows down the breath and creates a coherent rhythm in your heart.
    3. A longer exhale is relaxing!  This has been known for a long time. You can notice that when you inhale the heart speeds up a bit and slows down with the exhale. When the exhale is longer than the inhale, the parasympathetic nervous system kicks in and that calms your mind and body. This breathing creates coherence between all systems of the body. Shallow, faster breathing is linked to anxiety.
    4. You can strengthen and improve your capacity to breathe. There are exercises that will improve your lungs’ capacity. There are deep sea free-divers that can hold their breath for around 10 minutes! Over time shallow breathing decreases the range of the diaphragm and limits our lung capacity. Posture also has an effect on the use of the diaphragm, breathing and the nervous system as Donna Byrne from Pilates Central in Evanston teaches.

    The book explores many topics and varieties of breathing and I invite you to read this fascinating book to learn more. His website has breathing tutorial videos and videos from experts. https://www.mrjamesnestor.com/breath

    The breath is a common thread in what ails the earth and humans, from the fires on the West Coast to COVID-19.  Maybe what will heal both begins with the breath. With breath awareness, human beings can learn to slow down, become more present to themselves, others and the world around them.  Do yourself a favor and take a break after you read this and just take 5 slow, deep breaths, focusing on extending your exhale. Notice throughout the day, are you breathing through your mouth?  Are you breathing fast and shallow?  Slow down and breathe.