natural health Archives - Tuning Hearts

At the beginning of October, I began what I intended to be only a month-long break from social media. You can read about that in my original post on “Joining the Luddite Experiment.” Now that it is nearly the end of November, I thought I should report on how that experiment has been going, because, as you may have guessed, I have not really gone back to Facebook or Instagram yet.

I have checked a couple of things on Facebook in the last week, namely the Close Reads Podcast group to find out when we start reading The Great Gatsby (this week!) and a local homeschool group to see if there are any exciting field trips scheduled in December that we don’t want to miss (nope). But otherwise, I have been perfectly happy to be off social media and plan to continue to stay away for the remainder of the year.

So what have I been doing with all that time I had been spending scrolling through feeds? Well, I find myself spending more time doing things offline that are important to me, like reading and knitting and journalling. I am less distracted or worried about what so-and-so out there in the world might be doing and more content to just live my little life right here with my family. I have enjoyed having local friends over for a homeschool mom’s book club, and I have reconnected with other AmblesideOnline parents on the AO Forum. I also have been enjoying more time spent in devotional reading and prayer in the mornings.

So, overall, I have to say that this time away from the hubbub of the virtual social scene has been exactly what I hoped it would be, and I don’t have any plans to go back any time soon. Especially now that the holiday season is upon us, I am looking forward to more cozy, contented days cultivating relationships with my family and local friends and doing what I love without worrying so much about what “everyone else” might be doing. My emotional and mental health have truly improved over the last two months, and that alone is reason enough for me to continue in this Luddite Experiment.

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:

Write a post on a topic related to wellness, and add your link to the list below.
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.
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!

In Faith Talk, Natural Wellness, Uncategorized

Wellness Wednesday: Thanksgiving is Good for You!

Kiel LemonNovember 21, 2018November 20, 2018Leave 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:

Write a post on a topic related to wellness, and add your link to the list below.
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.
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!
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, Uncategorized

Mental and Emotional Wellness Through Breathing Prayer #WellnessWednesday

Kiel LemonSeptember 19, 2018September 19, 2018Leave a comment

Mental and Emotional Wellness through Breathing Prayer

In our fast-paced, media-driven society, it is increasingly unusual for most of us to be still. It is even more uncommon for us to spend even a few moments in stillness focussing on our breathing. Unless you regularly practice yoga, chances are you very rarely consciously stop and consider the pace and depth of your breath. The truth is, though, that stopping for a few short minutes each day to do focusses breathing can actually change the brain and improve your mental and emotional wellness! (See links below for the article from Science Daily on the subject of how deep breathing has been shown to change the brain. It’s fascinating!)

I have seen the affects of focussed breathing, specifically breathing prayer, this month while participating in the Revelation Wellness “Heir to the Crown Challenge.” Each day part of the challenge involves setting a timer for 3-5 minutes, sitting still and closing your eyes, then breathing deeply while praying/meditating on a repeated phrase. Each day has a different focus surrounding the overall theme of our identity in Christ as daughters of the King. For example, one of my favorites this week has been this:

Inhale– “God fights for me,”

Exhale– “so I can be still.”

The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.

Exodus 14:14

As I have practiced this breathing prayer daily for the past 10 days, I have noticed my breathing more at other times, especially when I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Remembering to slow down and take a few deep breaths, especially while praying over the current situation, helps me to think more clearly and respond in a more positive way to whatever is upsetting me. I have also been noticing myself making better food choices overall. In the podcast linked below, Revelation Wellness founder Alisa Keeton talks about how focussed breathing activates the part of the brain in control of appetite. I wouldn’t normally associate the breath with the appetite, so this connection is quite intriguing!

Have you ever tried breathing prayer, or even just simply noticing your breath for a set period of time? If so, I would love to hear about how it affected your health and well-being! If you have not tried this practice, I would encourage you to give it a go for a few weeks and see what positive changes it makes in your life!

Links:

Revelation Wellness Podcast – #302 A Simple Way to Keep “The Weight” Off

Science Daily – “The Yogi masters were right — meditation and breathing exercises can sharpen your mind”

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:

Write a post on a topic related to wellness, and add your link to the list below.
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.
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!
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, Uncategorized

Wellness Wednesday: Finding Surprising Joy in an Unexpected Place

Kiel LemonAugust 15, 2018August 14, 2018Leave a comment

One day as I was washing dishes, I tuned into a podcast featuring interviews with different Christian authors and speakers. I don’t honestly even remember who the host was or what podcast I was listening to. What I do remember was hearing Alisa Keeton’s message of hope and healing as she talked about her ministry Revelation Wellness and how much that message resonated with me. I quickly searched the internet to find her own podcast and website to learn more.

The next day I decided to listen to one of her podcasts while working out. Now, I am not naturally one who enjoys exercise in most forms. It never used to be a habit or even a choice that showed up on my radar, at least not for long. But in this case, my husband and I had recently gotten Fitbits and were in that highly motivated stage of excitement about the new gadget. Plus, I had been having a hard day emotionally and just wanted an outlet for my pent up anxiety and frustration. It was perfect timing, and I am sure God had His hand all over it!

The instant I started listening to the RevWell podcast, I could tell this was going to be different than anything I had ever done before. Alisa started praying right off the bat, and as she gave cues for warming up, upping the intensity, etc., she also quoted Scripture after Scripture and preached a message of truth. Never in my life had a thought of doing a cardio workout as being a time for me to meet with God, or for Him to meet me, but that day, He did!

As I continue to use my workout times as places to meditate on God’s Word, listen to gospel preaching, and pray about what it on my mind, I am constantly surprised by what a joyful experience exercise has become. It is actually something I look forward to doing each day, a much-needed time for refreshing and renewal. What I used to find draining has become a source of life, both physically and spiritually. And it was completely unexpected!

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:

Write a post on a topic related to wellness, and add your link to the list below.
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.
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!
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

Kiel LemonAugust 8, 2018August 6, 2018Leave 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:

Write a post on a topic related to wellness, and add your link to the list below.
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.
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!
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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