Showing all posts tagged holistic health

In Faith Talk, Natural Wellness, Uncategorized

Wellness Wednesday: Thanksgiving is Good for You!

Author Kiel LemonPosted on Leave a comment

Yes, I know that a lot of our more traditional Thanksgiving meals here in the U.S. are not what we think of as “health food.” We have to be careful to make good food choices when we come to the holiday table. But that isn’t the reason I am saying that Thanksgiving is good for you. I am talking about the health benefits of gratitude.

When we choose to cultivate a grateful attitude, we not only put ourselves in a more positive mental state. Certainly thinking of focussing on our blessings is beneficial to our emotional health. We think more clearly about the things we have to be thankful for instead of those that tend to bring us down. I believe we all would acknowledge that if we struggle with negative emotions, one way to improve our outlook is to intentionally set aside time to practice gratitude.

But did you know that having an “attitude of gratitude” can also be good for your physical health? According to an article in Psychology Today, that is the case!

Grateful people experience fewer aches and pains and report feeling healthier than other people…grateful people are also more likely to take care of their health.

Another interesting study cited in the same Psychology Today article found that people who practice gratitude sleep better, especially when people write down a few things for which they are thankful before going to bed. Even more fascinating are some studies mentioned in a Greater Good Magazine article, in which researchers found a connection between heart health and cultivating gratitude.

I don’t know about you, but knowing that God has made our minds, emotions and bodies to work in such an interconnected way…well, it makes me truly grateful for His wonderful design. And I am definitely rebooting my habit of recording reasons for gratitude in my prayer journal, not just because I want good health, but because the Lord deserves to receive the praise.

So, this Thanksgiving, don’t just choose to eat health when possible. Choose to truly give thanks for all the blessings you’ve been given. And start on a habit of gratitude today!

Want to link up? I would love to read your thoughts on your own health and wellness journey! Follow the instructions below to join the link-up and share!

How to participate: 

  1. Write a post on a topic related to wellness, and add your link to the list below.
  2. Grab the Wellness Wednesday logo graphic below and put it in your linked post, also with a blurb mentioning and linking back to that week’s link-up.
  3. Please stop by at least two other participants’ blogs and leave a comment on their Wellness Wednesday posts. This doesn’t take long, and it is really encouraging and helpful for building community and continuing the conversation!
  4. Bonus points if you post about the link-up on your social media. I will feature a post from one or two Wellness Wednesday participants on my Facebook page during the week after the link-up, so please head on over there to follow me and see if your post is featured!


In Natural Wellness

Wellness Wednesday: On Eating Well

Author Kiel LemonPosted on 1 Comment

Welcome back to Wellness Wednesday here at Tuning Hearts! I’m so glad you are joining us! If this is your first time here, feel free to look around and read back a few posts to get a feel for what we are all about! If you would like to participate in this week’s link-up, scroll on down to the bottom of this post for all the details on how to do that. Now, on with the post…

On Eating Well

We couldn’t go on much longer in this wellness vein without talking about eating well, could we? Last week I stepped on the scale for the first time in probably a month. I don’t make it a regular habit to weight myself as I’m not obsessed with weight and can usually tell how I’m doing fitness-wise by how I feel anyway. I had been feeling like some of my clothes were a bit tight, so that is actually what prompted me to check. Sure enough, the scale confirmed that I had indeed gained a few pounds recently, even thought I am still working out regularly.

I knew the cause, though, even though I didn’t want to admit it at first. Too much sugar. Too many unnecessary snacks. Too many grains. Sigh… I am not a highly disciplined person when it comes to food. If we have sugary foods in the house, I am sure to eat them. If I don’t buy and prep enough fruits and vegetables, I fill up on grains instead. And I tend to snack for comfort or as a reward, so there is that emotional eating component, too.

I know that when I eat well. I feel better in general. But I have to make a conscious choice to deny myself of the quick fixes and go for real, nutrient dense foods that will fuel my body. So today I got back to a better balance of veggies and meat and fruit and cut back on the grains. The only sugar I had was in a little spoonful of my mom’s homemade plum jam added to plain yogurt. I feel good about my food choices, and I feel better physically today, too! How about you? Do you struggle to eat well and make healthy food choices? I would love to cheer you on!

P.S.–If you are feeling stuck in some aspect of your journey to better health, can I encourage you to check out the resources in the Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle? This year’s bundle  includes: 96 eBooks, eCourses, and printables to help support your weight loss goals, get your family onboard with a healthy lifestyle, detoxify your home and beauty routines, and so much more. $29.97 for 6 days only. https://ultimatebundles.com/sale/uhlb2018-main#a_aid=a13314&a_bid=2be9a5f4&chan=WellWed (This is an affiliate link, so if you purchase using my referral link, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting me!)
Ultimate Healthy Living Bundle

And now it’s your turn! I want to read your thoughts on your own health and wellness journey! Follow the instructions below to join the link-up and share!

How to participate: 

  1. Write a post on a topic related to wellness, and add your link to the list below.
  2. Grab the Wellness Wednesday logo graphic below and put it in your linked post, also with a blurb mentioning and linking back to that week’s link-up.
  3. Please stop by at least two other participants’ blogs and leave a comment on their Wellness Wednesday posts. This doesn’t take long, and it is really encouraging and helpful for building community and continuing the conversation!
  4. Bonus points if you post about the link-up on your social media. I will feature a post from one or two Wellness Wednesday participants on my Facebook page during the week after the link-up, so please head on over there to follow me and see if your post is featured!


In Natural Wellness

Wellness Wednesday: Real Connections and Emotional Health

Author Kiel LemonPosted on Leave a comment

As a strong introvert and a Highly Sensitive Person, sometimes social interactions can feel truly exhausting for me. It takes a lot of emotional energy for me to make small talk, deal with crowds and get out of my comfort zone to forge new friendships.

But I also know that I need people, and I do enjoy time spent in community with friends and family. I believe that God created human being for fellowship with Him and with each other. And I know from experience that real connection with other people boosts my emotional health.

The trouble is finding a good balance between draining social interaction and life-giving connections. For me, I feel most exhausted by large groups and meeting new people. On the other hand, one-on-one conversations with a good friend leave me feeling refreshed and encouraged. Either way, however, I do have to plan alone time so that my emotional health doesn’t suffer from too much of a good thing.

The key for me in maintaining emotional health in relation to friendship is to have real connection, not just surface interaction. I prefer to go deep with a few people who I trust and can have regular time with and build community, rather than be spread wide and feel like I barely know my so-called friends.

And these connections need to be in person as much as possible, not on social media. Although things like Facebook and Instagram give us the ability to keep up with a lot of people from all over the world conveniently, I don’t believe that these online interactions are as beneficial or lasting as real life friendships can be. I am thankful for my online connections, but I need real people coming over to my house or going out for coffee and sharing my life on a regular basis.

How about you? If you are extravert, your need for social interaction is going to look a lot different from mine! I would love to hear how you pursue real connections for emotional health in this social media culture!

And now it’s your turn! I want to read your thoughts on your own health and wellness journey! Follow the instructions below to join the link-up and share!

How to participate: 

  1. Write a post on a topic related to wellness, and add your link to the list below.
  2. Grab the Wellness Wednesday logo graphic below and put it in your linked post, also with a blurb mentioning and linking back to that week’s link-up.
  3. Please stop by at least two other participants’ blogs and leave a comment on their Wellness Wednesday posts. This doesn’t take long, and it is really encouraging and helpful for building community and continuing the conversation!
  4. Bonus points if you post about the link-up on your social media. I will feature a post from one or two Wellness Wednesday participants on my Facebook page during the week after the link-up, so please head on over there to follow me and see if your post is featured!


In Life in General, Natural Wellness, Uncategorized

Introducing Wellness Wednesday! A New Blog Link-up

Author Kiel LemonPosted on Leave a comment

Hello! And welcome to our first official week of the Wellness Wednesday blog link-up! I am so excited to be hosting this link party, and I hope you will be encouraged and empowered as we share our wellness journeys here together. 

Why am I starting the “Wellness Wednesday” link-up?

Well, for a host of reasons. One, I am on something of a journey to physical, emotional and spiritual health and healing. Also, I have found some things lately that have been really helpful and inspiring, and I wanted to have a space to share them with others. Finally, I have been mulling over a host of ideas about getting healthy and whole, but I have had a hard time sitting down to write about them. I needed some accountability and motivation. So this link-up was born!

What is “Wellness Wednesday” all about?

I plan to explore a variety of topics related to holistic health and wellness. When we think of wellness, our minds typically jump to physical health and fitness. That is a huge part of our wellbeing, obviously! I think most of us today are aware, however, that our emotional, mental and spiritual health also play huge roles in overall wellness. We are integrated beings. Our bodies, minds, souls and spirits intersect and interact in ways that we don’t even understand. So what we eat affects our moods. What we think affects our energy levels. What we believe affects our response to our environment. 

All that being said, I will be writing on anything in my life that is related to wellness, from food and exercise to emotional issues and spiritual practices. I welcome you to link to your own posts on these topics as well. You don’t have to write and post them on you blog on Wednesdays, but the link-ups will go live on Wednesdays. 

How to participate: 

  1. Write a post on a topic related to wellness, and add your link to the list below.
  2. Grab the Wellness Wednesday logo graphic below and put it in your linked post, also with a blurb mentioning and linking back to that week’s link-up.
  3. Please stop by at least two other participants’ blogs and leave a comment on their Wellness Wednesday posts. This doesn’t take long, and it is really encouraging and helpful for building community and continuing the conversation!
  4. Bonus points if you post about the link-up on your social media. I will feature a post from one or two Wellness Wednesday participants on my Facebook page during the week after the link-up, so please head on over there to follow me and see if your post is featured!


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