My favorite FREE Doctors!

Happy Fall Y'all! It has finally started to feel like fall here on the coast of Maine. Chilly nights, bright, breezy days and the colors are beginning to change from lush green to vibrant orange and red. A time of new chapters and change.

Fall is my New Year. With holidays abound it seems like a great time to be more conscious of chaos, stress and health. Instead of letting yourself go, maybe you can try to get thru the holidays with a feeling of peace and purpose. I would like to introduce you to my six favorite doctors and the ways that you can benefit from them for free! Are you ready?

#1: Dr. Sunshine- Maybe you think summer is the only time you can get out and enjoy the outdoors? Fall is an incredible chance to still soak up all of the benefits of sunshine without the heat. It does not cost a thing to take a few minutes, position yourself towards the sun and just take deep breaths in and out, letting all of the goodness to pour into your soul. Don't forget the sunscreen all year round!

#2: Dr. Water- How many of you drink enough water? This does not include your coffee or tea. I know not everyone has access to water that tastes amazing and is free of pollution but for a small price you can buy a filter for your faucet, a pitcher that will reduce the impurities or you can spend a small amount on spring water and refill a bottle or glass all day long. Much of the time when you feel hungry, have a headache or are sleepy you are actually dehydrated. Try this going forward this fall....before you head off to a holiday gathering or a sports party, drink 20oz of water before you start eating. You will hydrate your body and start to fill your stomach before you indulge. If you must have alcohol, try alternating one drink with 2 glasses of water. I personally like to get my water intake done before I finish dinner. I break it up during the day, I typically drink 80 oz a day and the health benefits from staying hydrated has been remarkable. Coming into the winter months it will be incredibly helpful for your dry skin as well.

#3: Dr. Rest- How many hours of deep sleep are you getting? I am here to tell you that for the past year and a half, I have slept amazingly well. I have adopted several techniques to help me and they include...a dark, clean and peaceful room, essential oils, not eating within 3 hours of bedtime, chamomile tea,  exercise throughout the day and organizing my days and thoughts. Routine is so incredibly important when it comes to sleep. You have heard that children thrive on routine, right? Well I think we all do. I am not saying I can't be spontaneous but will I rest well? Probably not. I I am at my best when I sleep at least 7 hours a night. Getting enough rest has an impact on weight loss, anxiety and disease. It's free. Do yourself a favor and invest the time to be kind to yourself and let your mind and body rest. If you need to release emotions or stress, consider yoga or meditation to help you work past the triggers of the day. You will never regret becoming one with yourself. Zzzzzzzz!

#4: Dr. Air- Similar to Dr. Sunshine, fresh air is incredible for the soul but you can repair so many negative thoughts in your head simply by learning to breath. Did you know that most people do not properly breath? You would think that when you are born and you start breathing that you are all set, but the craziness of our lives produces shallow breaths and we rarely take the time to take deep breaths. I personally found deep breathing to be my solution for my ramped up anxiety. Your parasympathetic nervous system, the flight or flight part of your body can be easily soothed if you practice some yoga breathing. Try "even breathing"...quietly sit or lay down and close your eyes. Take a deep breath in and count how long it takes to get to the top of that breath. Now breathe out matching the length of time it took to breathe in. If it takes 5 seconds to breathe in, exhale for 5 seconds. Try slowing each inhale and exhale down. Do this exercise for 10-15 cycles. Open your eyes and see how different you view a situation.

#5: Dr. Exercise- Ah....this one. This doctor probably hears about as many excuses as Dr. Diet about how there is never enough time or money to include exercise and feel better. WRONG! I was not an athlete, nor will I ever be...however, I can get moving at any point in the day. Walking is an amazing way to tone your body, improve your mental health and get your blood flowing. This time of year you don't have to battle the heat, you can wear layers on the cooler days, lace up your favorite sneakers and get out there. Do what you can with what you have! Can you walk to the mailbox and back, three times a day? Can you meet up with a friend and walk 30 minutes on a lunch break? Can you walk around your neighborhood 15 minutes, two times a day? Can you walk in place while you watch your favorite show on television? Yes, all of the answers to these questions are yes! Once you are accustomed to a schedule that allows you to get some exercise in, ramp it up. Walk while curling water bottles or cans with your arms or do a few squats before you start and stop halfway to do more and then finish your walk with a few more. Get moving!

#6: Dr. Diet- This one is my favorite. Now, when speaking of free for this Doctor you have to think priorities. We all spend money on food. Some spend WAY too much money on eating out, junk food, convenience and in turn your wallet hurts and you are feeding disease. You do have something that costs nothing but is invaluable and that is TIME! This is when the excuses roll in..."I don't have time to meal prep", "I don't have time to search for sales or plan meals"......you do! What do you do in a day that you cannot take 15-30 minutes and look ahead at your calendar, see what you have on hand for food and plan out a few meals? Anything is better than nothing, right? Do you sit at your kids games or practices? Do you binge watch Netflix? Do you take a lunch break at work? Can you wake up 15 minutes earlier a day? There are many foods that prep so easily and can be made up in an hour or less. My favorites are roasted meats & veggies, egg bakes and fruits, with these things and some greens you have breakfast, lunch and dinner for 4 days.  But the key is to stop fooling yourself into thinking you can't do it. Eating clean can be inexpensive. Planning and prepping and wasting less food is important and your diminishing waistline, clear mind and nourished bodies are a biproduct. Spending time now on getting healthier instead of having to take time to be sick is a no brainer!


That's it! These 6 doctors are helping me live a life that is full of energy and positive vibes. There are so many things that feed disease....aside from dietary components we all know that stress and chaos are not our friend. Repairing or ending relationships, changing careers or fixing your finances are big areas that need your love and attention. Consider keeping a journal of your thoughts and feelings about these major stressors in your life. When it comes to the little things like keeping a clean house, paying bills, shuttling kids...touch these things every day. Planning out your day and week may seem obsessive but when I helping others try to find some peace in their life, almost every single person is in dire need of direction and in order to find that you need to have goals and prioritize. Too many use the excuses of time as a end all be all. Visit the 6 free Doctors above and cut out the bad guys...START TODAY! Get yourself on the right track now and you will sail thru the holidays with your sanity and waistline in tact!

You are worth it!