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Taking Care of Yourself…Mind, Body & Soul
During these uncertain times, it’s so important to establish new routines, to try new activities, to break old habits and to hold on to the positive. To help, we’ve put together a list of ideas, some might seem more obvious than others, but we thought it was still helpful to share.
MIND
- Limit or take a break from the internet. This can include the news, social media, email, etc. Find a balance that works for you. Whether that’s unplugging one day a week or limiting your daily intake. The more specific you can be with your goals, the better.
- Follow the right people for right now. Take some time to scroll through the people you follow on social media and decide if their content is helping or hindering you.
- Facebook now has an option to “unfollow” which means you stay friends but don’t see their posts on your feed.
- Look for people who are sharing honest messages of hope & health. For example, we started following Dr. Caroline Leaf on Instagram and have been greatly encouraged by her knowledgeable tips for mental health during this time.
- Prioritize your rest by keeping technology out of the bedroom. Put your phone away an hour before bed and keep it away until you have been up for an hour in the morning. Studies show this simple step can improve your sleep and give you a healthier start to the day. If you need an alarm, consider leaving your phone in another room where you can still hear the alarm.
- With extra time at home many of us are binge watching. If you want to give yourself a break from this screen time, pick up a book, try a puzzle, a board game or maybe even some colouring.
- Consciously decide to shift your thoughts from unhealthy to healthy. For example, during this uncertain time, we might think to ourselves:
“I’m tired of this. I want things to go back to normal”. We can replace those thoughts with, “This may not be easy, but I have a new appreciation for the simple things in life.”…”I’m worried about how this pandemic is affecting us.” We can replace those thoughts with “I’m grateful for my health and the kindness and courage I see in my community.” It doesn’t help to pretend that things are all sunshine and daisies, however we can choose to recognize the struggle and try to embrace the positive. We will get through this together.
BODY
- Take a soothing bath or a long shower. Enjoy every minute of the hot water in silence or bust out your go-to karaoke song, whatever brings you joy.
- Slow down your skin care. Show your skin the time and love it’s been craving by making your own DIY body scrub, facial cleanser or moisturizer.
- Softly remove your makeup at the end of the day, or enjoy a make-up free day to let your skin breathe.
- Use a loofa or dry brush before your shower. Start at the feet and move upwards, being extra gentle with more sensitive parts of your body like the face and finish by going over your heart in circular motions.
- Get creative with healthy food! You don’t need to munch on bunches of kale to be healthy. There are many delicious ways to adjust your meals and snacks to healthier options that are kind on your body. Find healthy and alkalizing recipes here.
- Start your day off with our Daily Detox Drink to alkalize your system and improve digestion.
- Cleansing in springtime is a great practice to continue. However if your body is stressed during this time, an intense detox or cleanse might not be what your body needs. Instead, incorporate gentle herbs that support the natural function of our body’s detoxification systems. A few of these herbs include dandelion, burdock, nettle and red clover.
- Mindfully move your body. We do not suggest pursuing intense workouts during this stressful time unless that is already your normal. We do recommend yoga, tai chi, walking, dancing, or Pilates. There are many online classes being offered right now, amongst them being our friend Jess at Pilates On Demand which you can now try for free for the first 2 weeks.
- Practice deep breathing. Take a deep, slow breath in through your nose. Let the air fill your lungs and allow your stomach to expand. Then let your breath out through your nose or mouth.
SOUL
- Pray or meditate.
- Stop comparing yourself to others. Instead be inspired by and encourage others while accepting yourself exactly where you are.
- Embrace the quiet.
- Smell a flower.
- Find a new way to express yourself creatively.
- Call or facetime a friend or family member who brings you joy and refreshment.
- Journal.
- Enjoy fresh air.
- Do something simple that brings you joy that is still socially responsible.
- Allow yourself to feel. In times like this, it’s easy to suppress much of what we are feeling. It’s overwhelming. It’s scary. But if you make time to process your emotions, you really will feel better. Have a good cry if you need to. Scream. Let it out.
Note: Please consult your health care practitioner before making any lifestyle changes.
“Mother is a verb. It’s something you do. Not just who you are.”
Spring is prime detox time!
Our New Essential Oils Are HERE!
We've all been there. You set a goal for yourself to work out more but you can't seem to get into the routine. The workouts might be too hard or you might not have the energy for it. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that at least 1 in 4 adults do not get enough physical activity. If you're inactive, you carry a 20% to 30% greater risk of premature death compared to more active lifestyles. If you have trouble finding the time or energy to work out, VILPA may be a solution for you.
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Who run the world? Girls! March is Women's History Month, and March 8th is International Women’s Day. What better time than this to lift up the women around us! Because of the entrepreneurial courage of our founder Jo Anne & the continued efforts of our now owners & team (which is over 80% women), we have been serving Peterborough & The Kawarthas for over 45 years! We are thankful not only for the amazing women in our team, but for the meaningful connections we have made with so many inspiring women in our community. It is important to us to continue fostering an environment where women feel safe, supported & inspired. We are excited to look to the future and continue to evolve to meet the needs of our community.
Folks who are gluten-free should not have to miss out on the joy of Easter baking! These sugar cookies can be easily made with what you already have on hand and delicious enough to please gluten-free and non gluten-free eaters alike! INGREDIENTS COOKIES: 3/4 cup of salted butter, softened to room temperature but not melted (vegan substitute can be used) 1-1/2 cups sugar 2 large eggs 1-1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract 2-3/4 cups gluten-free flour blend with binder (such as Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour) 3/4 teaspoons of baking powder A heaping 1/4 teaspoon of salt FROSTING: 1/2 cup softened vegan butter OR 1 can of coconut cream or milk 1/4 tsp of vanilla extract 1-2 cups of powdered sugar 1 splash of preferred milk 1 packet of natural food colouring OR BERRY GLAZE: 1 cup berries fresh or frozen (you can use one kind or a medley) 1½ cups powdered sugar, sifted 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste or extract 1-4 tablespoons of water, cream, milk, or citrus juice Water or citrus juice will produce a deeper colour, while cream will produce a lighter pastel glaze!