Forest bathing, or shinrin yoku, is a therapeutic practice that originated in Japan in the 1980s and is now being utilized stateside for its wellness benefits. The idea is essentially to just be in nature, absorbing its light, sounds, colors, and smells.
Sleep hygiene is basically establishing a healthy bedtime routine that is conducive to falling and staying asleep. Here are some of my favorite tips and tricks for maintaining healthy sleep hygiene:
Has there ever been a week in the history of weeks that felt more winter-like than this past week? I mean, sure... probably, but this week felt exceptionally relentless, snowbound, and severe. However, a healthy dose of perspective is always necessary: it could have been so much worse. We’re incredibly lucky here in the part of the commonwealth where the rolling Piedmont meets the gentle Coastal region to keep us fairly protected from harsh weather. However, our beloved environment couldn’t protect us from this enormous blimp of a winter storm and all its nasty slush that fell from the sky. I found myself wearing 3 pairs of socks, 3 shirts, and 2 pairs of sweatpants every day this week. Occasionally, I’d catch a glimpse of my reflection as I’d pass by the bathroom mirror on my way back to my troll’s den (with snacks in hand) where I had a heated blanket to keep me warm. Those few nanoseconds where I allowed myself to look at what winter has done to me were like a spotlight of reality. I need to get back on the self-care train that seems to have left the station for most of the winter. Why have I done this? I don’t know. Winter is the best time of all for self-care. Below are a few of my favorite self-care activities for the wintertime in all its dim, quiet solitude.
Many of us know by now that mindfulness practices, like yoga and meditation, have positive health benefits. But if you’re like me, you might need to know just how these mindfulness practices help in order to convince yourself to adopt a few into your already busy schedule. I’m honestly the worst at remembering to go to a yoga class, read a book, drink water - pretty much all of the things we know to be good for us. So there’s no judgment here. Just a gentle reminder that we can’t heal our bodies without also working to heal our minds and our spirits. So let’s dive in and see just how exactly a new mindfulness practice may help those with diabetes or those at risk for developing diabetes (a category that could easily include every single American).
If you’ve ever witnessed the beauty of fall in Virginia, then you know the greatest gift of all is time to experience every last bit. And when you see all those leaves changing colors and start falling, you know what that means.
What is the Autumnal Equinox? The Autumnal Equinox is technically the first day of fall, which arrives this year on Thursday, September 22nd (and if you want to get specific, at 9:31 am).
Essential to a happy, healthy life is all about finding your inner circle. There is power in the kind of perspective that encourages you to be the very best version […]
As the heat and humidity slowly roll across the piedmont region of Virginia, okra and green bean plants seem to wake up (even though all the heat and humidity ever seem to do for me is make me sleepy). As these two plants chug along into late summer/early fall, we tend to experience a temporary glut of greenery. So what do you do with all of these extra summer gifts?
Since Woodside Farms opened its farm gates in 2018, there have been a lot of changes – a lot…I thought I’d take the time to give an update on how […]
Moving to a new community and making a lifestyle change is an exciting endeavor, especially for someone right-sizing into their forever home. A whole new world of possibilities opens up with new neighbors, new fun social events, new resort-style amenities, and things to do around town is absolutely the friendliest and most welcoming! Homeowners form close relationships and take care of one another, and one thing is for sure, they know how to have fun, both inside and outside of the community. We interviewed Evans to learn more about how she welcomes new neighbors and what she loves most about her community.