Here's your weekly dose of digestible snacks from me including a mindset tip, a media recommendation, and an actual snack/food/recipe I've been loving! |
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MINDSET TIP/SHIFT “How are you prioritizing self-care during this phase?” I grabbed drinks with a girlfriend earlier this week, and she asked me this question. My answer is probably different than what we see promoted to us as self-care in the wellness spaces. As many of you know, I sustained a concussion and many injuries to the right side of my body from a mountain bike crash in late May. This summer, I've had to rest a lot more and lean into the team of health providers I trust for my recovery. How I've prioritized self-care over the last 3.5 months: ❤️🩹 I am focusing on eating enough food and a wide variety of foods to promote tissue repair ❤️🩹 I am supplementing wisely: I've taken Thorne Vitamin D and Momentous Omega-3 Fatty Acids (before you take a supplement, consult with your physician or a registered dietitian) ❤️🩹 I am working on not checking or reading email after 6:00pm. I've also reduced how much time I spend on social media. ❤️🩹 I regularly follow up with multiple physical therapists. I worked with a physical therapist who is a concussion specialist for neck and brain recovery, and I am still working with a different physical therapist each week for physical therapy on my right shoulder, neck, elbow, and wrist ❤️🩹 I invested in blue light blocking glasses to reduce mental fatigue since my job requires a lot of screen time ( here's the pair I bought 🤓) ❤️🩹 I've started wearing special earplugs to reduce overstimulation from loud noises (this was a suggestion from my concussion specialist). Over the last month, new concussion symptoms emerged from overstimulation and loud noises. Loud noises or being in loud, noisy environments triggered nausea and searing headaches that left me feeling ill for hours. I bought Loop earplugs to help me manage these symptoms, and WOW, they work so well! 🙉 ❤️🩹 I've continued to be active, but I've allowed my mind to rest when needed. My concussion specialist recommended taking more mental breaks during rides, and I've slowly needed less and less of these as I've recovered throughout the summer. ❤️🩹 I've reduced my overall client load ❤️🩹 I have followed up with my psychologist a handful of times this summer to help with other concussion symptoms: burnout, mood shifts, emotional regulation, setting boundaries, etc. I'm not into meditation or baths or any other typical self-care recommendations we usually see, but that doesn't mean I do not care about my overall health and wellness. I just prioritize it differently 😊 |
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10 Non-traditional Ways to Prioritize Self-Care Creative Expression Try activities like painting, writing, or playing an instrument. Engaging in creative work can be therapeutic and a great outlet for emotions. Learning Something New Engaging your mind in learning a new skill or hobby (like knitting, cooking a new recipe, or learning a language) can foster self-confidence and give you a sense of accomplishment. Digital Decluttering Organizing your phone, inbox, or digital files can reduce mental clutter, helping you feel more in control and focused. Volunteering Giving back to others can create a strong sense of community, purpose, and connection, which in turn boosts your own well-being. Forest Bathing Spend time walking in nature with no particular goal in mind other than absorbing the sights, sounds, and smells around you. Movement Play Instead of formal exercise, engage in playful movement like dancing around your house, jumping on a trampoline, or playing a sport or game with friends. Solo Date Take yourself out on a date, whether to a movie, museum, or a coffee shop. Giving yourself intentional time to enjoy your own company can be restorative. Declining Invitations Practice the art of saying "no" without guilt. Preserving your time and energy by protecting your boundaries is a profound form of self-care Surprise Letter Send a letter or gift to someone unexpectedly. The act of thinking about another person's happiness can have a positive impact on your own mood. Sensory Experiences Engage in activities that activate your senses, like aromatherapy with a favorite essential oil, playing with textures (like kinetic sand), or listening to ambient sounds. Personally, I love lighting a candle and putting on a vinyl album to easily create a sensory experience. |
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MEDIA REC (book) I heard of this book on a recent episode of the Rethinking Wellness podcast with Christy Harrison. Christy interviewed Dr. Markey about her experiences and research, and even though I'm not a parent, I resonated so much with what Dr. Markey had to say: Christy Harrison: How do you think parents can, and other people who interact with kids can set a good tone for kids at this young stage and maybe also older as well? Charlotte Markey: It's really important for parents to be aware of, I think, some of their own concerns. Most of us adults are not perfect. We have our own baggage when we go into parenting. And so it's at least important to be aware of what it is so that you don't pass it on to your kids, I think. And we want to be really careful how we talk about our own bodies and other people's bodies because young girls, like five year old girls in that study from 25 years ago, I've never been convinced that they had completely internalized what body dissatisfaction is as much as just they're mimicking perhaps what they're seeing at home. So are they really just sort of repeating the language that they're getting at home? Like "I think it's important to diet" or "I should be aware of my weight." Things like that. I think we have to be really careful. And I know for me, when I became a mom, too, I was always thinking, like, "I am going to do this different, and I am not going to say anything bad about my body ever in front of my kids." And it doesn't mean I don't ever think it or I don't want to say it, but I do think across, now it's been almost 19 years of parenting, and I think it makes a really big difference…Broach these issues thoughtfully. And kids are always getting bigger. Like, that's their job, is to keep growing and so to be really careful how that's framed and to frame it positively. So I'm sure your daughter is outgrowing clothes every six months or something. I think a lot of girls at a very young age start to feel like, "Oh, my gosh, is this a problem? Is this a bad thing?" And if you frame it in terms of this is so exciting and your body is so amazing, and look at all the cool things you can do now. Now you can ride a bike, or now you're learning how to swim, whatever it may be, that I think that that's just a much better framework for talking about bodies and development. Book Description: Discover the ultimate guide to taking on adulthood with body confidence. In a world where body satisfaction plummets during adolescence, and a global pandemic and social media frenzy have created extra pressure, Adultish is a survival kit for young adults. This all-inclusive book provides evidence-based information on everything from social media and sex to mental health and nutrition. Packed with valuable features like Q&As, myth-busting, real-life stories, and expert advice, it is a go-to source for discovering the importance of self-acceptance and embarking on a journey towards loving the skin you're in. About the Author: Charlotte Markey is Professor of Psychology and Founding Director of the Health Sciences Center at Rutgers University, Camden. She is a world-leading expert in body image research, having studied body image, eating behaviour and weight management for over twenty-five years. Through all her roles as a scientist, teacher, writer and parent she is passionate about understanding what makes us feel good about our bodies and helping others to develop a healthy body image. Dr Markey is an experienced and talented author, with her first book Smart People Don't Diet (2014) dubbed as 'possibly the best book about weight loss ever written' by Scientific American. Her research has gained widespread media attention, having been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The Economist, ABC News and Time Magazine. 📚 Click the cover below to view this book on Bookshop |
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SNACK/FOOD/RECIPE (recipe) This Peach and Blackberry Yogurt Bowl gives a boost of protein and unsaturated fat and is the perfect basis for whatever fruits and goodies you have on hand. McKel (a registered dietitian based in Nashville) used peaches, blackberries, seeds and plant-based yogurt to complete this dish. You could utilize a bowl like this as a quick breakfast or a refreshing afternoon snack. Click the photo below for a downloadable PDF of this recipe 😋 |
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Did you enjoy this week's batch of snacks? Let me know! Want to share this batch of Eden's Weekly Pocket Snacks with a friend? Simply forward this email to them or text them this LINK! |
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- PS - The No Period, Now What? Playbook! What's inside: 1 - How and What to Eat to Regain Your Period 2 - How to Shift Your Relationship with Movement 3 - How to Find Helpful Providers to Support You 4 - Additional Resources: Books, Podcasts, Instagram Accounts, Etc. to provide extra support - PPS - Want to work with me 1:1 or join my monthly support group? |
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