health & things

🌱vegan/plant-based 🍎health freaky geek

[gracekinghealth-blog]

forward is forward, just keep going💙 #health #healthy #instagood #lifestyle #cleaneating #plantbasedpower #plantstrong

[onlinecounsellingcollege]

Tips for Getting more out of Life

1. Stop resisting change and see it as a constant in life.

2. Learn to enjoy, and value, solitude.

3. Never forget that friendship is a gift, not a possession.

4. Things are rarely as bad as they seem at first.

5. Do your most important tasks first thing in the morning.

6. Smiling seems to help with most things!

7. Schedule margin into your life – as something unexpected will often change your plans.

8. QTIP: quit taking it personally.

9. Define what’s necessary; say no to the rest.

10. Take a deep breath and wait before responding. Don’t react, and say something you’ll regret.

[gracekinghealth-blog]

@me when I’m eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich lol

[onlinecounsellingcollege]

How to Stop being a People Pleaser

1. Recognize that you have choices. Usually people-pleasers feel as if they don’t have a choice, and they have to say yes when someone asks for their help. But you DO have a choice – and it’s Ok to say no.

2. Decide on your priorities. If you already have commitments or you have set priorities then it’s easy to say no as you’ve a genuine “excuse”. Do what matters most to you, and please remember - it’s your life!

3. Stall for time – don’t give an answer right away. Say you need a bit of time before you make up your mind. That allows you time and space to think about the consequences. For other things will likely suffer if you take on far too much.

4. Don’t be afraid to add conditions to your yeses. For example, say that you’ll only say yes if someone else says yes as well – or only take on a new task for a set period of time.

5. Are you being manipulated? There are plenty who will use you to ensure their plans succeed, so watch out for those compliments and empty flattery.

6. Be firm when you say no. The first time you say no it feels uncomfortable and hard. But once you’ve done that a few times it starts to feel much easier. Also, if you sound confident then others take you seriously.

7. Don’t defend you decision. You have a right to say no – and to NOT defend yourself. It’s your life after all - you don’t have to explain “why” … or come up with excuses … or be pushed and pressurised. And don’t apologise to others - saying no is not a crime!

[onlinecounsellingcollege]

Dear past, thank you for the lessons. Dear future, I am ready.

Unknown (via onlinecounsellingcollege)

[gracekinghealth-blog]

Your Acne Does Not Define You

I know that it is hard looking past all of the cysts, whiteheads, blackheads, and acne scars (that your skin has so kindly glazed you with) in the mirror. Nevertheless, we are so much more than our appearance.

Easier said than accepted, right? That sentence is pretty hard to believe, especially with society’s obsession with perfection. Coming from a perpetual acne sufferer since the age of eleven, I totally get it. I never see anyone else’s blemishes, only my own. It’s as if I am the only other person on the planet with acne.

Of course, I know that is untrue. It is just that when I scroll through my Instagram feed, I don’t see people who suffer with acne like I do. I get totally bummed because I see all of these seemingly flawless people.

But then I remember: Acne does not make me less of a person, nor am I less beautiful because of it. Acne is just something I struggle with, much like someone with any other problem. Acne can’t stop me from being a fun person to be around or tackling my goals.

I refuse to let acne stop me from being myself and enjoying life in 2018. I think you should feel the same way too! (: I am so done letting my acne determine my self-worth and my capabilities. In no way, shape, or form will I let acne define me ever again.

Let’s remind ourselves of who we are.. not on the surface but in our very core.

Stay strong, my friends! There’s nowhere left to go but up! (:

[gracekinghealth-blog]

part of tonight’s din din😋

[gracekinghealth-blog]

me frfr 25/8 🙄🤗

[gracekinghealth-blog]

sometimes, me time is necessary. sometimes, you need to separate yourself from everything and everybody else. sometimes, you just wanna take a bath.

[gracekinghealth-blog]

ayyyyy thatsss righttt 😂😂

[gracekinghealth-blog]

y’all.. this is good

[gracekinghealth-blog]

Interested In Holistic Medicine?

Holistic Medicine looks at all aspects of a person - physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental -  in order to recommend treatment.

Instead of simply prescribing a pill for an ailment, a holistic practitioner would take a look at what in your life might be causing that ailment such as: lack of sleep, poor diet, stress, anxiety, along with many other common abused aspects of everyday life.

If I can avoid it, I like the idea of not having to relying on chemicals to treat my body.

From personal experience, I know that herbal medicine DOES work for me. They've work better, faster, and without pain for my acne.

After taking Accutane and using all the crazy creams and washes prescribed by my dermatologist, I was still having cystic acne breakouts.

You get to a point in your life when you will do anything to fix what you feel is holding you back, and this past year I  finally got to that point.

Since I tried literally EVERYTHING, I decided that I would take a holistic approach and tweak my diet to see what kinds of effects it would have on my skin.

*I gave up almost all dairy products. Every once in awhile I would eat cheese but not nearly as often as I had been. *I started to drink tons of water and green tea (not the kind of sugary green tea you buy at the gas station, but the kind you buy in tea bags that have zero sugar and you brew yourself). *I stopped drinking coffee. *I started using doTERRA essential oils, face wash, and coconut oil on my face. *I quit washing my face in the morning. *I changed my pillow case almost every night. *I quit wearing a lot of makeup (I know this is a hard one to conquer for a lot of women). *I worked out regularly

These are the main holistic-based ways I used to clear up my acne. I really had to get to know my body and what worked for me and what didn't.

I also started to focus on the things I loved about my body, because I wanted to change the negative mentality I had against myself. Instead of constantly obsessing over my scarring or discoloration, I looked and the mirror and thought "Wow my skin is so much better than it used to be" or "My hair looks nice today" or "I'm so thankful that I am strong". There is so much more to ME than acne or scarring... or whatever.

Because holistic treatments have worked very well for me, I've grown quite fond of them. I've started using holistic treatments for ailments other than acne, such as ACV for cold/flu prevention, diffusion of oils for ailments ranging from a cough to menstrual cramps, and I've consumed lemon and other citrus oils for bloating.

I've really enjoyed researching and documenting these treatments and how my body reacts to them.

The only non-holistic treatment I have used recently was for my skin and is birth control. I take it orally and because it helps with my hormones, it seems to clear up my skin a little bit too.

If you've reached that point in your life where you are just over traditional medicine because it hasn't been working for you, you should definitely look into holistic medicine. Take a step back and ask yourself a couple of questions.

1) Do I get enough sleep? 2) Do I have a healthy diet? 3) Am I plagued with overwhelming stress and anxiety?

Set some goals.

If you usually only get 6 hours of sleep, aim for 8 and go to bed a little earlier. If you only have about one healthy meal a day, try to have two or all three. If you experience stress and anxiety, make some quiet, alone, and peaceful time for yourself. Try meditating or diffusing a blend of peppermint and eucalyptus oil.

Try to heal yourself before having to get put on drugs. In the case where you just can't do anymore for yourself, you should definitely see a doctor. But, if you have minor ailments, why not try to heal yourself naturally, safely, and efficiently?

| food for thought |

[gracekinghealth-blog]

DID I TATTOO MY BROWS??

Kinda, sorta...not really. I microbladed them. (:

Microblading is a technique that requires the manual implementation of pigments into the skin. It is used to apply semi-permanent makeup.

Eyebrow microblading requires the drawing of each individual hair; therefore, it gives a more natural and realistic appearance of hair.

You have the artist/technician sketch the desired shape, color, numbness, and then you’re on your way to fabulous eyebrows. The process is really that simple.

I had no idea what the heck microblading was until about six months ago, but I immediately knew it was exactly what I wanted.

I have always had “eyebrow probs”. Whether it was from plucking, waxing, or just regrowth, I’ve had issues with them all.

There’s a certain way I like my eyebrows to look and I hated waiting for a waxing. So, consequently, I just plucked them myself. I hated to have any hair that was out of line or just barely growing back.

I know. I was super wrong for doing this.

As I result of my constant plucking, I barely had any hair on the ends of my brows. My brows were very full close to my nose and then faded away the farther away they got.

I’m sure you can imagine, this was not an attractive look.

I had to draw on my eyebrows everywhere I went (even to go swim) because I was so uncomfortable with the way I looked without any makeup on.

I understand that to some people eyebrows aren’t that big of a deal, but to me they were very important, considering I already had a not-so-great appearance because of acne and acne scars.

As soon as I had enough money to afford this procedure (which was sometime after Christmas 2016) I scheduled an appointment with a local salon and spa known as the Beauty Bar. I had a 10/10 experience and was able to be very much in control of how I wanted my eyebrows to look. My technician was absolutely phenomenal and had seven full days of training before she started offering the microblading procedure to her clients.

I’m so impressed with the way my eyebrows look now and I couldn’t be happier to have eyebrows after taking a shower, sweating, or getting dunked in the pool.

Along with freakin’ fantastic eyebrows, my skin has also benefited from having this procedure. Because I now have eyebrows, I find that it isn’t necessary for me to wear that much makeup anymore.  My skin has loved these long breaks of no makeup.

Altogether I spent around $320 dollars on these new brows. A lot of you are already thinking “She is absolutely insane for spending that much money on eyebrows when I can buy a $2 eyebrow pencil from the Dollar Tree”. Sure, you can do that. But, honestly, I haven’t regretted spending the money AT ALL. I’m just so happy to have eyebrows that I can’t quit telling people how happy I am, and if they are even considering microblading GO FOR IT!

A couple of my close friends have also had this procedure with the same artist/technician, had zero problems, and are in awe of their new brows. It is LIFE CHANGING to have fleeky eyebrows.

If you need a recommendation, please don’t hesitate to message me! And, if you’re considering this treatment I say do it, but don’t be afraid to ask your artist/tech for exactly what you want in a brow– that’s what they are there for!

[gracekinghealth-blog]

HOW I DEALT WITH MY CYSTIC ACNE

GUYS please checkout this blog at gracekinghealth.blogspot.com!!! Thank you (:

[gracekinghealth-blog]

Why You Should Start Working Out In A Box

Box: a Crossfit gym; coined the name because they traditionally look like old, run down warehouses.

At my box, you are guaranteed to work your butt off. The atmosphere of my gym is so completely motivating and intense... it just gives me absolute butterflies. I enjoy the challenge and am always curious to see what my body can do. That’s the beauty of Crossfit – finding out what you are capable of.

If you think you’ve worked out before and have never experienced a Crossfit workout, I ask that you try it. ONCE. It can give you a whole new perspective of your body and your abilities. Also, most gyms let you come for free the first couple times so that you can get a feel for it and make sure it’s what you are looking for.

To give you an idea of what a Crossfit workout consists of, I’ll give you the run down of todays workout.

21-18-15-12-9-6-3 Shoulders To Overhead 135/95 Rx Toes To Bar 15 min. Cap

So, what that means is that we do 21 reps of some type of overhead press, 21 toes to bar, 18 reps of over head press, 18 toes to bar, etc., etc. The goal is to finish this workout as fast as possible and under 15 minutes. You cannot exceed the time cap.

Some workouts are more or less specific with the movements, and some workouts don’t really have a time cap.

Many people don’t know that all movements and weights can be modified depending on your abilities. I believe this is why some people immediately flush the idea of Crossfit down the toilet, without even trying. To me, this is a horrible way to go about your life.

Why not try? Why not see what you can do? Why not challenge yourself? How can you enjoy life at all if you only stay in your cozy, little bubble?

One of my favorite parts of the box is the music. It pumps you up and is so loud you can’t think about anything – all you know is that your body is working hard... and that is okay.

Another one of my favorite things about a Crossfit box is the people and the relationships you make. It’s like being on one giant, motivating team. If you’ve ever been a part of a group, club, or sports team, you know how valuable it is to have teammates and peers that push you to BE better and DO better.

Crossfit is great and I think anything that could positively impact your life is worth a shot!

***Currently seeking friends who enjoy getting the crap kicked out of them in a WOD. 😼

[fitnessjoerney]

Workout While Traveling

We all know the struggle. We’ve just gotten into a good routine at the gym, and now we have to leave for a vacation or business trip and it’s going to ruin everything. Fear not, because it doesn’t have to. I’ve got you covered, babes.

Find A Local Gym Wherever you go there will always be a fitness. And often you can make a deal with them to pay for a week or however long you’re there for to train and then pay for that time. This way you can head over and get a workout done even though you’re staying at the hotel. When I went on to Rome with friends some of us made deals with the local fitness to be able to train for the five days we were staying there and then we only paid for those five days rather than an entire month. 

Prepare A Workout Schedule I once went to England for about four days, I think. And I hate not being able to workout, but I didn’t even think about finding a fitness so instead I prepared a schedule from home so I wouldn’t miss my workouts. It’s really easy and you can do it in your hotel room with the TV on. Probably one of the easiest things to do. Also, you don’t even have to do your own schedule. There are thousands of schedules you can find online.

Explore The Area If you’re not up for doing it in your hotel room for whatever reason, then you can always check the area prior to you leaving. Maybe there’s a nice park nearby where you can do exercises and go for a run. Maybe there’s an actual exercise park close to your hotel. I don’t know the actual name for it but basically; there are plenty of outdoor machines for you to get a good workout. 

Rent Equipment A lot of places actually let you rent equipment just like you can rent a car! How awesome is that? Then you can add weights to your exercise and return them once you’re going home. I will say that this is not as spread out as I would prefer, so maybe this won’t be a possibility for a lot of people. But it’s worth checking because it’s such an easy solution. 

That was it for this time, you beautiful people. I hope you liked it and if you did, feel free to like it and share it with other. x 

[onlinecounsellingcollege]

What is Emotional Abuse?

An emotionally abusive person may “dismiss your feelings and needs, expect you to perform humiliating or unpleasant tasks, manipulate you into feeling guilty for trivial things, belittle your outside support system or blame you for unfortunate circumstances in his or her life. Jealousy, possessiveness and mistrust characterize an emotionally abusive person”[1]. In summary, emotional abuse includes the following:

1. Acting as if a person has no value and worth; acting in ways that communicate that the person’s thoughts feelings and beliefs are stupid, don’t matter or should be ignored.

2. Calling the person names; putting them down; mocking, ridiculing, insulting or humiliating them, especially in public.

3. Controlling through fear and intimidation; coercing and terrorizing them; forcing them to witness violence or callousness; threatening to physically harm them, others they love, their animals or possessions; stalking them; threatening abandonment.

4. Isolating them from others, especially their friends and family; physically confining them; telling them how they should think, act, dress, what decisions they can make, who they can see and what they can do (limiting their freedom); controlling their financial affairs.

5. Using that person for your own advantage or gain; exploiting their rights; enticing or forcing another to behave in illegal ways (for example, selling drugs).

6. Stonewalling and ignoring another’s attempt to relate to and interact with them; deliberately emotionally detaching from a person in order to hurt them or “teach them a lesson”; refusing to communicate affection and warmth, or to meet their emotional and psychological needs.

[1] http://www.focushelps.ca/article/addictions-abuse/verbal-and-emotional-abuse/emotional-and-verbal-abuse?gclid=CNvZx7vP6rACFWQ0QgodTEvatg