Living in a space that is not connected to oneself can be detrimental to our mental and emotional health. Feeling trapped in an environment that doesn't align with our values and beliefs can be overwhelming. However, imagine living in a space of peace and love where you feel comfortable and free to grow. Many of us would choose this option, yet we often find ourselves stuck in between spaces, unsure of how to move forward.
The anti-aging effect of intermittent fasting is quite profound. It slows down the aging process and has been found to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation ( 1 ). IF can also suppress genes that accelerate the risk of age-related chronic disease like cancer, Alzheimer's and diabetes ( 2 ).
Love and self-respect are two fundamental pillars of our well-being, and they are cultivated from our earliest experiences. However, it's not uncommon to find ourselves yearning for a love that doesn't match our worth, perpetuating a cycle of disappointment and dissatisfaction. This cycle only sows seeds of discord in our future relationships.
Marcus Aurelius “You’re better off not giving the small things more time than they deserve.”
Feedback whether it is constructive or destructive stings. In my teens, I created my first song and recorded it. The response was generally well until one came in that said it's not bad BUT it's not as good as D’Angelo’s (Recording Artist who had a hit called How Does It Feel)………...this stopped my creative pursuit to attempt to finish the rest of the album. It got SCRAPPED because my ego felt like CRAP. Fully acknowledge the EGO bruised and stained, the wisdom comes later I create from a place of care and love of the process. I learned when I was young that I was trying to get the approval of one particular person which did not line up to my soulful purpose of doing GOOD and inherently down the narrow path of not so GOOD. The parallel to this is that as children we look for the approval of our peers or parents but fail to see the caring people that are on our peripherals that have been waiting for our craft to be released. The cycle continues as we look for validation as the person looking up at us is looking for our blessing. There has to be a better way of acknowledging and sharing our energy with those looking for what we are doing. Why do we play for one particular person or group? We need only a few to understand our work and look forward to what we are bringing to the table. Simply, bring your best version of yourself at that moment with consistency. This will yield to a high percentage of many seeing your true gift. You are the Gift.
What caused you to stop your creative work? Are you now ready to pursue it again?
by Ryan Hayes RMT
A new year. A new variant. A new challenge. A new stress. While the global upheaval persists, many people continue to struggle with isolation from friends and family, scheduling conflicts of homeschooling children, and a topsy-turvy work environment, finding ways to create consistency can be difficult. There seems to be less and less that we can rely upon for stability. One thing that needs to remain constant through this turbulent time is our sense of self.
As the responsibilities of the individual continue to mount, we can easily find ourselves sinking beneath the surface of functional physical and mental health. Now, more than ever is the time to put ourselves first. How can we be either a supportive spouse, sibling, parent, teacher, or coworker if we are struggling to stay afloat? What can we offer to others if we refuse to pay attention to our own needs?
Many of us are quite adept at putting everybody else and their needs before our own. Further, the responsibilities of the average individual often exceed the energetic output available to effectively manage the altered pandemic lifestyle of today. However, there are many people out there whose job is to help declutter the brain, relieve tension from the body, and help restore a better balance between the body and the mind.
Today’s society necessitates active reflection over our state of health. We need to make sure to take some time to put ourselves first. The time for this does exist. We do not have to create time. We have to allocate time. It is neither impossible nor unreasonable to take an hour or two a month to have our batteries recharged. It is essential to seek out a healthcare provider to help in the areas we are finding ourselves deficient or need support.
This help can come in the form of a talk therapist, a massage therapist, a personal trainer, an acupuncturist, an osteopath, etc. There are many different venues and practitioners to help with the multitude of strains that we are put through daily. Even a car needs an oil change every 5000km. We are no different. Unfortunately, we drive our bodies until they run out of gas. This is not ideal in the long run.
We must resolve to invest in our health. If our health suffers then all aspects of our existence are diminished. A mind cannot function optimally if it is distracted by the woes of the body. Further, the hamster wheel in the head can grind the body to a halt. To function effectively in the home and society our body must function effectively from the inside out. A healthy individual can be a productive individual.
We save for our retirement, we save for our children’s education, we save for a home, we save for a trip. When these moments arrive how can we enjoy them if our health is less than functional? Part of saving for the future is investing in our health today. Make massage therapy a part of your support network. Your daily productivity, your sleep, and your ability to manage stress will improve. Your body and mind will thank you.
Will be a short and weekly post on what we are up to from what is going on at M.O.A. Living, to what we are pondering on, resources that are worth reading, videos worth watching and on things that can help in the pursuit of an enhance body and mind.
We would like to express our farewell to Candice Ohrablo, for the 3 years of service with M.O.A. Living Inc., as a Thai Massage Practitioner to a Manual Osteopath. She will taking on Acupuncture for her next studies this coming new year. Unfortunately, due to conflicting schedules, she will no longer be practicing at M.O.A. Living, as of January 1, 2020. We wish you all the best in your new venture Candice.
We are in the process of looking for her replacement, as a Manual Osteopath in the next few weeks. We will keep you posted once we have found the right fit. On that note we will also have new Massage Therapists and Personal Trainers that will be joining us in the following year.
We have always envisioned a space that enables us to treat the body as effectively as possible to ensure enhanced performance. We hope to polish this method throughout the new year.
In addition, we have an added service for 2020, we will be implementing direct billing in the next month and would like to invite anyone who would like to sign up. All we need is your policy number and insurance provider to set you up in our system. We appreciate your patience as we move forward with this new service and would want to make the administrative part of health as minimal on your end. Allowing us to focus on your health and let us handle the rest.
We wish you all the best for 2020, to epic adventures and memorable experiences. Cheers to all of you that make this life count.
Keep it Balanced!
Garnet Santicruz
M.O.A. Living Wellness Clinic
Finding your destination on a map is becoming less and less popular. There has been an increase of accidents of people driving into a body of water because of a GPS saying that there use to be a road there. Don't get me wrong, GPS has been great, but at the same time what will be next 'self driving cars?'....wait THANKS Elon. How about just figuring out and mapping out where you are headed. My Mom's words rings true to me every time I use some GPS, 'it will make you dumb.' The days of focus are getting farther and farther away from us. Thinking deeply is becoming less and less. Have we reached our peak for human intelligence that we are now at a point of making things that does everything?!
(image from: www.newstatesman.com/culture/film/2016/09/list-ways-our-society-already-pixar-s-dystopia-wall-e)
Like a scene from the movie, Wall-E of an overweight space man being hovered around everywhere without using any energy, we are headed to a future such as this. A ton of problems will arise if we stop thinking and solving for ourselves. I am fan of technology and innovations but I have never forgotten about running around barefoot when I was young full speed as a reminder of what my body was able to do. Ouch!! We need to stay connected to what our bodies are designed to do. Fail, think, solve and repeat. As much as this hurts like running barefoot now would we need to continue to keep this vessel called the Human Body finely tuned. Like anything else in life that gets forgotten and collects dust, our bodies and mind will be the same. So google a map to where you are heading and plan it out.
While you are at it put together a strategy on the thing that you have been wanting to do every New Year's Eve Resolution. Like a map, make a decision on the path and EXECUTE. Remember, that mindless movement is the same as mindless eating so don't be that person. In health and in vigor I hope that you are more this guy.
Live longer, Live Better and Keep It Balanced.
M.O.A. Living
