1. Kundalini Yoga & Gong Baths
I have recently re-discovered Kundalini Yoga and the power of Gong Baths thanks to Madonna English, a wonderful Kundalini yoga teacher and Gong Therapy Healer here in Manila.
I am fan of yoga in general and those of you that have practiced Kundalini Yoga will know that it is a very unique and different kind of yoga practice that uses kriyas which consist of postures, breath work, mantras and meditation to simultaneously work on the body, mind and spirit. Pretty powerful stuff and the combination of this kind of practice with the power of a Gong bath makes for an amazing experience. Sound healing has been used for centuries to create deep healing on a cellular level. I am hooked!
You can read more about sound healing here.
2. Ketogenic Diet
Chances are you have come across this latest hot trend in the world of diet and nutrition. People all over the globe are turning to a ketogenic diet to lose weight, combat metabolic syndrome, neurodegenerative diseases, improve cognitive function, physical performance, and more.
In short, when adopting a ketogenic diet you help to shift your body’s main source of energy from glucose to fat. It’s a low carbohydrate and high fat diet that certainly isn’t for everyone but is helping a lot of people with their health goals.
To see what keto was all about and learn how to best work with clients who may need this as a therapeutic diet approach, I spent the last 6 weeks or so on a ketogenic diet, eating minimal amounts of carbs, high amounts of fat and moderate amounts of protein. I drank bulletproof coffee, ate fat bombs, used ketone strips to measure my ketone levels, tracked my macro nutrient levels and kept a record of my experience.
What I can say after this experiment that I definitely fare better with a low to moderate amount of carbohydrates, which is the way I generally eat in any case. Extremely low carb did a number on my adrenals and hormones and it affected my sleep. I am back to my Paleo way of eating, and there are days that I naturally enter ketosis, which works well for me.
I have spoken to many people whose lives and health were positively changed by keto and it is obviously one of those bio individual situations. The beauty of the experiment was that I got to figure out a bit more about my body and what works and what doesn’t work for it. I also find myself better positioned to recommend a ketogenic diet to certain clients, depending on their unique situation, and guide them through the transition process, which is not always easy.
You can read more about ketogenic diet here and here.
3. The Power of Passion
I have been having several conversations over the past few weeks with clients and friends about finding one’s bliss. You know, the thing that has you buzzing with energy and excitement and ready to jump out of bed in the mornings.
When you find your passion in life, things somehow start to fall into place. It is as if you have shifted on to a fast track and invisible forces come together to push you along at lightning speed. It’s beautiful. And we all want it.
I found my passion and although it wasn’t like a lightning bold hit me, I did find things on my path that felt right: books, people, opportunities. I kept following these clues and one thing led to another.
Which is why my recommendation for those of you that are still looking is to just follow what calls at you. Do what you love, try new things, and explore your interests.
For a period of a few weeks or so, write down all the moments, experiences, conversations, books, tv shows, youtube videos etc. that excite you, that get your heart rate up, that have you feeling really good. After a few weeks you should see a pattern in what you are naturally drawn to. That in my opinion is the fastest way to identify your passion. Once identified, pursue it!
4. Travel
We just came back from a long weekend in Bangkok where we watched our oldest son play his last international school soccer tournament. It made me realize how important travel is as a way to refresh the senses.
There really is no need to hop across to the other side of the globe to experience the benefits of travel. Just a weekend away from the city into the countryside or an overnight trip somewhere can help you unwind and make you feel less stressed and more alive. I made a promise to myself to definitely do this more often.
5. Education
The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know. And the more I am fueled to continue learning. I just can’t help myself. I did a short course just recently on oxalates and it reminded me on how I LOVE learning. I have been engaged in ongoing education for the last 10 years or so and I am now mentally getting ready for the icing on the cake in the form of a Master’s Degree in Functional Medicine and Human Nutrition. Will be keeping you posted on this potential new development.
Be Well!
Monique
