Signs of Spring

Which ones have you seen lately? 

My first harbingers of spring are usually the birds. On February 12, I saw and heard my first red-wing blackbirds. These songbirds are so apparent with their call (“come-for-tea”) and bright red wings. They usually arrive in a flock so it’s hard to miss them. 

The most important factor in noticing them is to be out in nature. Got a bird feeder? They’ll arrive there. Live near water? Blackbirds or other newly-arriving flocks can be found in a tree overlooking a stream, river, or lake. 

Call to them. Repeat their song and they’ll respond to you. I love doing this as I walk past a tree that they’re sitting in. I feel as though we’re friends. 

Another sign I noticed is magpies with twigs or grasses in their beaks. I don’t see where they’re landing and yet I know there will be squawking in a few months from babies demanding (in no uncertain terms) food. 

We had a nest in my next-door neighbor’s tree two years ago and I ha...

How big is your heart?

As a powerful 50+ woman, do you struggle with ways to keep your heart healthy? 

Just think about it, your heart beats 100,000 times a day. It is part of the autonomic nervous system. 

Thank goodness that all of this remarkable reliability takes place without us having to think about it. 

February is Healthy Heart Month-a perfect month for Valentine’s Day! 

Here are a few heartful facts…

An adult heart is about the size of two hands clasped together. A child’s heart is about the size of a fist. 

The youngest person who underwent heart surgery was one minute old. 

More heart attacks occur on Monday than on any other day of the week.

The fairy fly, which is a kind of wasp, has the smallest heart of any living creature.

Your arteries are 4 millimeters thick (It doesn’t take much for greasy foods to clog them).

It only takes 20 seconds for a red blood cell to circulate through the entire body. 

Christmas day is the most commo...

January 2022 Blog  What's More Important than Your Optimal Health?

We have so much to focus on, so much to learn and witness. 

Let’s get set up for this year’s success. 

What’s more important than your optimal health? 

Use your energy as wisely as possible. 

Make a difference, as you live a balanced life. 

What will your next purposeful health chapter look like?  

How vital is it to Nourish Your Vitality? 

This is the byline of ARAY Wellness Coaching. What does that mean to you? 

Especially as we move more comfortably into the seat of the elder, we need ways to boost our balance on body, mind, and soul levels. 

Know how to switch from the fear of falling, to embracing empowerment. 

To silence the food gremlins and be the boss of your food and drink. 

How many of you wish you could keep your cool more often when the situation starts to heat up? 

This awareness of your vitality occurs on a daily basis. 

How familiar do you want to be with self-kindness choices that...

Once again, the Holidays are upon us!

Who’s ready to look at them through a different lens? 

Be open to new possibilities. 

Grab a pen and paper. Close the door. Pretend it’s a brainstorming session with yourself and make two lists with five items on each one: 

List # 1: five things that you have your heart set on doing between now and January. 

List # 2: five items that you’d like to let go of between now and the New Year.  

Post the lists in a common area as Redesign Reminders. As you reflect on how you are redesigning the holidays, here are a few attributes that will help along the way...

Self-compassion will soothe your racing heart or dry the tear after a difficult conversation. When I was at a low point, a friend once let me in on a secret. She said, “Compare and Despair.” It’s become one of my mantras. If you need a time-out to prevent blowing your stack, take it. There will be less to ruminate on in the middle of the night. 

You will need Strength to stay th...

Isn’t it funny how our taste buds change over the years? 

Then, Skippy peanut butter was the cat’s meow. 

Now, it’s freshly ground nut butter from the coop. 

A frequent treat had always been stopping at the bakery on the way home from school for a cruller.

Now, the Left-over Oatmeal Muffins with fruit and nuts are the sweet of choice. 

Then and now….how things evolve. 

I’m in the middle of my fourth fast of the year. 

Three days with only liquids and three days on either side to wean off and back onto food.

What are the benefits? 

• The golden hues of autumn are glorious. 
• It’s easier to hear the jewels of wisdom from within.
• There’s a reset with food, especially salty and sweet. 
• A calm descends and stays for weeks. 
• During a silent fast, sinking into the quiet is even easier. And, it’s fun to talk again.
• Breaking the fast, each bite of food is spectacular. 

Fasts have been done around the world for millennia. 

It’s possible to cure chronic infe...

Get to The Other Side

How do you build bridges in your life? We have so many options to create paths of body, mind, and soul unity. 

I have always loved bridges. Creating connection is critical in today’s fractured world. The pandemic and the Delta variant make it even more important to devise ways that keep you in communication with others. Whether it’s through a phone call, email, or text, there are ways to reach out without being face-to-face, and employing them serves as a two-way street. Your contact may be the only touchstone your friend or loved one may receive that day, in several days, or that week. When was the last time you received a “hello note” from a friend? Bring a smile to someone by being that person who starts the ball rolling. 

When I teach or do yoga, I always include a bridge (Setu bhandasana) pose. It is a multi-faceted posture and tones the pelvic floor (I dare you to do a Kegel or two or five, right now!) I include them in my routine for osteoporosis ...

Well, it’s a new year; School year, that is. Kids are headed back to school. You’re grabbing an extra layer at night. The long days of summer are fading.

The summer months are well-known for various drinking opportunities, 30% of adults admit to binge drinking in the past 30 days. This would mean a woman drinks more than four drinks per night and a man imbibes more than five. 

Want to save money, lose weight, sleep better, and feel sharper mentally? Here’s your chance to give your liver a good cleanse...

Try indulging in Sober September.

Sounds hard?

The first few days may be the toughest.

Engage the help of a buddy. It’s easier to accomplish anything when you share a goal with a friend or family member. 

See that as your intention, to make it September 1-30 without alcohol. 

You’ll love enjoying all of your precious weekends without a headache or a dry mouth. 

Have you ever noticed how conversations can go south after a few cocktails, especially when yo...

We all play a major role in creating sustainable habitats for plants and animals. As the world opens up again, find sanctuaries to breathe and hold natural, sacred space. 

June is a magical month for flowers. Did you ever, as a young person, stand next to a peony bush and watch the ants work their magic on a peony bud? The buds are a food source for the ants and the peony is protected from other sap-feeding insects. This is a form of mutualism in nature. 

When the peony blooms, the scent draws one in. Each petal is a velvety layer of beauty, ever-expanding until an early summer rain causes the flower heads to droop, thus ending their magnificent, annual display. 

Don’t delay. Watch nature’s fashion show through the summer. Driving around town, I just noticed my first roses blooming in various gardens. The new color appears, seemingly out of nowhere. Bees gather the rose nectar and pollen. 

Pay attention as the floral world regales us with its beauty. Cut a flower and bri...

Watch underlying health conditions resolve when you are the boss of sugar and caffeine. 

Make small changes for a big impact in your life. Abundant, pure energy offers so much, especially at ages 50 and over. Sixty million Americans have a sleep disorder which can lead to irritability, diabetes, and heart disease. 

Eat the food rainbow for its many benefits. Red fruits and vegetables have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits and may lower the risk of heart disease. Blue and purple foods may boost brain power and lessen the risk of a type-2 diabetes diagnosis. 

Increase your consumption of healthy fruits and vegetables as an alternative to sugary foods. Reduce sugary foods in the diet and minimize the production of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Without the hormonal imbalance brought on by excessive sugar, the ease with which one can relax, sleep more easily, and remember more, is magnified.  

Do some kitch’n witch’n and make a few of these food it...

Are you ready to spring clean? 

Will you tackle an inside cleaning project that has been talking to you? There’s raking outside for those with yards. The grass is always so grateful to have its back scratched. Watch the grass spring to life in a matter of days. 

When I do a deep seasonal clean, I’ll look at an object and ask myself, “If I lived in a tiny house, would I need this?” If the answer is No, then into the give-away bag it goes. 

Keep only what serves you. 

When you’re out for a vigorous walk or on your yoga mat after a good session, let go of your worries and woes. Walk near a river, lake, or ocean and allow the water to absorb your anxiety. 

With an increased number of people getting vaccinated, the world is starting to feel a bit more open. Don’t get overwhelmed with plans. One story told of a beach in Mexico where it was hard to see the sand due to the massive crowds of visitors. 

The pandemic isn’t over. There will be spikes. And people will have l...