Alchemy Total Wellness

Curious about health and wellness coaching? Here’s a great start.

Remember, it all begins with water. It's one of the most important elements of our survival, but 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Dehydration causes fatigue, brain fog, memory difficulties, irritability, headaches, and more. It's amazing how many problems can be resolved with proper hydration. Yet for many people, water is something that is sparingly consumed after coffee and before alcohol (two diuretics). Here are some of our top tips for getting more water into your days!

Do you remember the sun? That burning gas ball that keeps us all alive? These days it's easy to miss it looks like midnight at 6 PM.... This can be a problem, because a little sunshine goes a long way when it comes to our health and happiness. Sunshine regulates the circadian rhythmour biological clocks by telling the body when to increase and decrease melatonin levels. We sleep better at night when we've seen more of the day. The sun’s UV rays also help your body produce Vitamin D, which is important for your bones, blood cells, and immune system. And another important thing: Sunlight helps boost serotonin, the "happiness" chemical that helps improve mood. These are just a few of the reasons a lack of sunlight has been linked to Seasonal Affective Disorder, causing us to feel sad, down, and fatigued during this time of the year. With shorter days and less sunlight available, we have to make a more concerted effort to get natural light when it is available. Here are 4 of our favorite ways to get more natural light in our days.

Today many of us are faced with numerous demands, tasks, responsibilities, etc. from all areas of our lives. The more that these demands have increased, the more that productivity has become paramount. Getting more done is something that appeals to many. It's a hot topic. ... There are productivity apps. Productivity journals. Productivity systems. Productivity seminars. Productivity coaches. Books. You get the idea. In theory, the more productive we are, the more free time we should have... but that's rarely the case. When we get more done, there is never the magical space of "nothing to do" that opens up in our lives. The space we fantasize about. Instead, there's just more. There's always more. This is just a reality today. So even if we are as productive as possible, it's not going to give us the quality of life we want unless we put an end to the productivity trap by shifting our paradigm of productivity. The old paradigm of productivity only applies to work. Work work work. We get our work done productively and then, you guessed it, more work. Hard work. This stems from the industrial revolution by the way (a story for another time). In a world where there is always more work to be done, we have to create the space for other things. It won't be given to us. We may be productive, but at what expense? For many, it's at the expense of their health, their relationships, their inner peace, and their rest. This is what leads to burnout, exhaustion, overwhelm, disease, concentration difficulties, fatigue, and *drum roll please* a complete lack of productivity. The Total Wellness Paradigm of Productivity is the new way. The new model. People everywhere are waking up and taking their health and wellness into their own hands. People like those of you who have joined our Total Wellness Transformation Program. We are recognizing that we are human beings, not human doings. We are recognizing that progress at the expense of our health and wellness is really not progress at all. The Total Wellness Paradigm is a model where you make time for the things in your life that keep you healthy and happy. It's a model of setting boundaries. It's a model of choosing yourself. It's a model of honoring your mind & body. It's a model of saying no to others, so you can say yes to yourself. And here's the real magic... once you start prioritizing your health and wellness, your productivity goes through the roof. You become more effective. You focus better. You have more energy, You are vibrant. You think clearer, sharper, and more strategically. The paradox is that when you take time away from being productive, you actually become more productive. What's your relationship to productivity? How do you prioritize your wellness and create balance in your life?

Share your response in the comments! Join my email series, The Role of Immunity, to learn about various components of the immune system and how to keep each one healthy. To opt-in, visit https://alchemytotalwellness.iinhealthcoaching.co/RIES0001

We've had several clients over the years who love their fancy holiday coffee drinks. One of the most popular this time of year is the Starbucks Peppermint Mocha. A Grande Peppermint Mocha weighs in at 440 calories and 54 grams of sugar. That's more calories than a bagel with cream cheese and as much sugar as two Snickers bars... in a drink. If you've been in our webinars, our course, or our programs, you already know the implications of this. ... These calories contain hardly any nutrients... so your body will still be starving for nutrition from, you know, actual food. Even more problematic is that fact that the 54 grams of sugar will spike your blood sugar levels, flooding insulin (the storage hormone) and resulting in a blood sugar crash that will leave you craving MORE SUGAR just hours later. Ravenously, I'll say. Now, one obvious choice would be to just not have something like this. If that's you, rock on. You're better off without the Peppermint Mocha. Your body thanks you. But we understand that a festive holiday coffee drink or two is something that many people enjoy. And we want people to enjoy themselves. Especially during the holidays. Especially during the holidays THIS year. So what's a health-conscious person in the holiday spirit sitting in their car in the drive-thru to do? Here are a few quick hacks to upgrade this drink, as well as other similar beverages you might be in the mood for. See more

Movement & Exercise can look different for everyone. It doesn't have to be something you dread.

Who doesn’t love a good shortcut?! To help make meal prep a breeze, employ the help of an Instant Pot or slow cooker. Some smart grocery store shortcuts include pre-shredded slaw, bottled dressing, a stir-fry kit, and rotisserie chicken. These items will shave hours off your prep time!... Download our Breakthrough Digital Wellness Guide: Self-Care Secrets! Click here for your free copy: https://course.alchemytotalwellness.com/selfcaresecrets #mealprep #healthyeating