Balms and Manna Blog - Balms and Manna

Could a Regulated Circadian Rhythm Be the Missing Piece?

5/5/2025

COULD A REGULATED CIRCADIAN RHYTHM BE THE MISSING PIECE?

Maybe it doesn't seem like it would make that much of a difference. But think about how you feel when you have a routine for the day. A predictable morning routine. A schedule for the afternoon. Our bodies crave consistency. And a sleep/wake rhythm is no different.

Our circadian rhythms are our bodies 24 hour internal clocks. Kind of like a built in alarm to tell us when we should go to bed and when we should get up.

Circadian rhythms impact many other cycles in the body. Our digestion, sleep/wake cycles, hormones, body temperature, immunity, our stress response.

Just regulating this one cycle in our bodies can have a profound impact on our mood and energy, inflammation, immunity, resilience to stress and metabolism!

How to maintain or reset a healthy circadian rhythm:

1- Have a set bedtime and wake up time. Even on weekends, try to go to bed and get up within an hour of your regular sleep and wake time.

2- Get outside and exercise in the morning. Morning sunlight in your eyes helps to stop the production of melatonin and increase cortisol production which regulates normal energy patterns.

3- Avoid artificial lights in the evening. Turn off lights and use lamps. Schedule phone to turn to black and white or wear blue light blocking glasses. This promotes melatonin production.

4- Establish routines around eating and bedtime. Eat at consistent times and avoid snacking. Start winding down for bed with a relaxing routine. These signal to the body when you should sleep and digest which all regulate the circadian rhythm.

These simple steps create big changes! I've seen women have less pain, better energy and less stress just by doing these things! Circadian rhythm resetting is just one tool that I teach inside my 180 Days to Wellness package.

If you are ready to sleep better, have more energy and are tired of not feeling like yourself, schedule a free Discovery Call to start your first step to the better you!

Schedule a FREE Discovery Call!

What If Money Grew On Trees?

5/20/2024

WHAT IF MONEY GREW ON TREES?

One thing I often hear people say is, "Being healthy is so expensive. I can't afford that." It's true, a healthy lifestyle can be more costly than eating cheap processed food.

But what if I told you that the best things to live a healthy lifestyle were actually free? That God made them available to anyone just for the taking. Sounds like money growing on trees. Too good to be true.

But it is true! Let's explore all the things you can access for free to live healthy and whole!

Exercise
So many ways to do this!

Alone in the solitude and soaking up the beauty of creation.
Together with a friend or with the whole family for bonus connection.
Doing the things you love- biking, swimming, hiking, baseball, basketball, the activities are endless.

*Bonus* Exercising for 10 minutes- like a walk - after meals will help slow the carb spike and significantly balance your blood sugar.

Drinking Water
Anything other than water you have to purchase- milk, tea, coffee, soda, energy drinks. It's just simplier, easier and healthier to drink water.

Sleep
Going to bed by 10 pm is medicine for the body! Blood sugar balance, more energy, less brain fog, less inflammation, weight loss, the list goes on and on. It's even better if you get 8+ hours of sleep!

Morning Sunlight
Opening the shades and getting the sun in your eyes or going outside first thing in the morning helps to reset your circadian rhythm. This promotes more melatonin as the daylight fades which gives you better and more restful sleep.

Manage Your Stress
This alone will go a long ways in better health! Some stressors like jobs, relationships or schedules are pretty difficult to change. But you can set boundaries on the time you devote and the thoughts you think about them, limits on apps, social media and saying no to social commitments.

But it's more about increasing your ability to manage and handle stress by unloading stress bucket daily. Do something every single day that is fun, renewing and relaxing!

Grounding
Getting your barefeet on the ground helps to neutralize the electricity in your body, promotes calmness and less toxicity.

God is the author of every good and perfect gift . And He gives all these things freely without discrimating by financial status. Because He wants everyone to enjoy the gift of good health! So go out and take the gifts that are freely offered. Just not on trees!

Start 2024 Right with These 4 Healthy Habits

1/8/2024

START 2024 RIGHT WITH THESE 4 HEALTHY HABITS

It's that time of year- resolutions, starting out fresh and focusing on our health. It's not a bad thing!

In fact, it's a great time to make changes for the better. But a goal without a plan is just a wish. Success has to be scheduled!

So I'm going to give you some tips on how to not just focus on your health, but help you translate them into habits that stick.

1- SLEEP
Good quality sleep is free medicine!
Goal: Go to bed by 10:00 pm and aim for eight hours of sleep.

If that feels like too much of a stretch, take your typical bedtime and move it back by half an hour. Then decide how much time it takes you to get ready for bed and set a timer that goes off so you know you need to start winding down in order to get to bed on time.

2-EXERCISE
Exercise (especially morning) helps with energy, hormone regulation, better quality sleep, blood sugar regulation and circadian rhythm regulation.
Goal: Exercise for 15-30 minutes every morning outside

This might feel like a huge goal especially since it's winter. First decide what you enjoy doing for exercise. Maybe biking, jogging or walking. Look at your morning routine and see where it's most feasable to fit it in. Try habit stacking by exercising while listening to your favorite morning podcast, while praying, listening to the Bible, exercising with your spouse for connection, after you drop your kiddos off at school or with a friend.

3- DRINK WATER
Drinking water helps flush toxins out of our system, supports focus and energy and can reduce pain and stress.
Goal: Drink half your body weight in ounces

Start with getting a water bottle and having it with you at all times. Take it with you in the car, to work, use it at home and when you travel. Figure out how many water bottles you need to drink to meet your goal and track it throughout the day.

4- CONNECTION
We all need a sense of belonging. Connection with people we love provides that safe place, helps us to be seen and valued for who we are. Connection can help regulate blood pressure, calm the nervous system and reduce stress.
Goal: Schedule a time every month to connect with someone you enjoy being with.

This can be a scheduled on a specific day every month, a Bible study, play date with other moms, a walk with a friend or just a time to meet and chat over coffee.

With all of these goals, there needs to be accountability and motivation to do them long enough for them to become habits.

Try finding an accountabiillty partner who also wants to work on establishing habits. Connect every day to see how you are doing.

Make a chart or graph with your goals and check the box or get a sticker for everytime you meet your goals. There is something powerful in seeing the progress (and it helps us know how we are actually doing versus what we think we are doing).

Hire a coach to help you stay on track. This may seem drastic but sometimes we need to have some skin in the game to get where we want to go.

Celebrate! Set rewards that are motivating to you and celebrate when you meet your goals. Seeing progress creates momentum to keep going.

This is just an example of what I help you with inside my Personalized Wellness Program. It's full of recommendations, support and accountability to help you create the changes you want and feel energetic, happier and yourself again!

Happy 2024! Have a great year everyone!

Seriously? Sleep Does That?

11/13/2023

SERIOUSLY? SLEEP DOES THAT?

We've all probably heard it. That we should get eight hours of sleep every night and how good sleep is for you. But have you actually tried it?

Not that I was a skeptic by any means. I know that sleep is greatly beneficial to your health. But getting to bed by 10:00 always felt like effort. And that meant that sleep had to be enough of a priority to make the effort. So I started a sleep challenge with an accountability partner. If I was in bed by 10:00, I got to put a sticker on my calendar. That might sound childish, but truly it's the visual tracking of the process that made it motivating.

So after one month of getting to bed by 10 pm consistently, which also meant getting eight to nine hours of sleep, this is what I noticed:

More motivation. It was so much easier to do tasks that seemed challenging.
Better focus. I got so much more done during the day.
More energy. Woohoo! That's a big win!
Less brain fog. It was so much easier to have a vision for the day and see what needed to get done.

After two months of this same sleep schedule, this is what I noticed in addition to the things above:

Less weight! Yes! Letting your body detox and restore (especially between 10-12 pm) contributes to weight loss.

Less cravings and emotional eating! More balanced blood sugar equals less cravings and being more rested meant my body didn't need as much fuel to keep me going.

So is sleep worth it? YES! And what's so great about all this is that it's FREE! I have so many people tell me that they don't have the money to focus on their health. But all this takes is a desire, some accountability and motivation.

Yes, sleep is medicine.

Take a deeper dive into sleep hacks and benefits in my personalized wellness coaching packages! To learn more, schedule a discovery call to see if we are a good fit for each other.

Bye-bye Weight, Brain Fog, Fatigue & Cravings!

10/24/2022

BYE-BYE WEIGHT, BRAIN FOG, FATIGUE & CRAVINGS

Have you ever been suprised to find out how old someone actually was? Maybe because they looked significantly older or younger than their age? Our metabolic age, meaning the rate at which our bodies actually age, isn't always equal to our biological age.

Our metabolic health is responsible for our weight, energy, body composition and cognitive performance. All of these things influences how old we appear to be. The stronger and healthier your metabolic function, the better you will feel from the inside out!

Factors that reflect the state of your metabolic health include blood sugar, blood pressure, lipid types and levels and weight. Only 6.8% of American adults have optimal cardiometabolic health! That means 13 out of every 14 people can benefit from metabolic health support right now.

Meet doTERRA's New MetaPWR System

MetaPWR- (short for metabolic health) meets PWR- Personal Wellness Realized
Helps to optimize metabolism, curbs cravings, sheds excess weight and increases stamina
3 products- MetaPWR Essential Oil blend, MetaPWR Advantage and MetaPWR Assist

A closer look at each product:

MetPWR Essential Oil Blend-

A blend of Lemon, Grapefruit, Peppermint, Ginger & Cinnamon
Scientifically tested to curb cravings & stop fat cell accumulation
Available in multiple forms- beadlets & gum for on the go, softgels for travel and oil to add to water

MetaPWR Advantage-

Includes nine unique forms of marine collagen (more comprehensive collagen support & effectiveness)
Added NMN- which is a powerful molecule that helps with cellular repair, energy & aging
Packed with antioxidants- also support healthy aging and works against inflammation
Improves skin elasticity and firmness
Supports lean muscle and connective tissue
Improves cognitive function
Improves metabolic age

MetaPWR Assist-

Evens out blood sugar spikes and dips throughout the day (constant spikes & dips are hard on the body & contribute to poor functioning cells)
Slows absorption of simple carbs, evening out glucose levels in the blood
Been shown to decrease post meal blood sugar spikes by 45% when taken with your meal
More steady blood sugar equals consistent energy levels!
Includes Berberine, Mulberry Leaf extract & MetaPWR Essential Oil blend

My Testimony
After using these products for just two weeks, I noticed:

Significantly firmer, more elastic and toned skin everywhere on my body
Clearer thinking, more motivation and less distractible thoughts
Less inches!
A more positive outlook, emotional capacity and steady emotions

If you are looking for less brain fog, more energy, less weight, stable blood sugar levels, less cravings, better sleep then you likely need some metabolic support!

The MetaPWR system comes in a kit for $179 and includes a free 1-year wholesale membership (25% off) for new customers through December of 2022! For existing customers, the MetaPWR kit is available through LRP orders. Check it out here!

I Want to Learn More about MetaPWR!

Life is Better with Copaiba

3/29/2022

LIFE IS BETTER WITH COPAIBA

Do you struggle with sleep, anxious feelings, poor digestion or poor circulation? Do you wish that you had something that would just make your life better and more comfortable?

Copaiba is an essential oil that most people have never heard about. It comes from the copaiba tree which is native to South America. The main constitute of Copaiba is beta-caryophyllene which is powerfully relaxing, soothing and supports your endocannabinoid system. This system in your body is responsible for managing inflammation and bringing the body systems into balance.

SO HOW IS LIFE BETTER WITH COPAIBA?

Taking a softgel capsule before going to bed can promote a better night's sleep
Using 1-2 drops internally under the tongue or as a softgel daily can support healthy hormones, a stronger nervous system, less discomfort, better digestion, circulation and immunity
Massage on topically to ease discomfort
Add a few drops to your moisturizer to reduce the appearance of blemishes and keep the skin looking clearer and healthier.

WHY I LOVE COPAIBA-

Taking a softgel nightly before bed helps me sleep better and keeps my fingers from falling asleep during the night.
It helps me have an overall calmer mood, less anxious feelings and makes life's challenges easier to deal with.
I notice less congestion in my lymph (think less PMS issues), sinuses, liver (clearer skin and less head tension) and healthy inflammation levels in my veins (think less discomfort and better circulation).
I also notice more hormone balance (less moodiness, bloating and fatigue).

Does this sound like an oil you would like to try? I would be happy to share a sample of this with you so you can also feel power and support of this amazing oil! Or if you don't want to wait, get yours now!

I WANT A SAMPLE

5 Ways to Start the New Year Off Right

12/29/2021

5 WAYS TO START THE NEW YEAR OFF RIGHT

January-that time of year when the holiday festivities leave us feeling a few pounds heavier, a little more brain fogged and a little less energetic than we'd like to be. It's a New Year and a great time to reset our routines and choices!

Here are five simple ways to start the New Year off right!

DE-STRESS- Start with noticing signs that indicate you are stressed. Even better is to make a list of these things. Focus on awareness of when you are stressed and listening to your body.

Make a list of 10 things you truly enjoy that you feel refreshed and renewed after doing. As you become increasingly aware of when you are stressed, pull out your list and spend 10-15 minutes de-stressing.

EXERCISE- Just 15 minutes of movement every day, especially outside will help to balance your hormones, increase your energy and mood. Talk a walk in the snow, go sledding, ice skating or a bike ride when the weather is good.

GET YOUR SLEEP- Getting 7-8 hours of sleep every night is foundation to everything! Your weight, ability to detox, mood, energy, hormone balance, stress levels and even digestion!

Set a sleep and wake time and stay within an hour of that time frame to regulate your circadian rhythms. Take the 30-60 minutes before bed to turn off all screens, do some reading, journaling, devotions, gratitude or a relaxing bath with essential oils.

If falling asleep or staying asleep is hard for you, try Serenity softgels. They promote deep and restful sleep and are truly amazing!

DRINK WATER- Drinking water hydrates your skin, improves digestion and elimination, reduces feelings of hunger and calorie intake and helps flush out toxins. Half your body weight in ounces daily is the general recommendation

REDUCE SUGAR- The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of added sugar daily! Sugar slows down your immune system, increases inflammation, creates brain fog and drains your energy. It's also contributes to heart disease, fatty liver, diabetes and cancer.

Get my Sugar Substitute Reference Guide

Let's Talk Sleep

7/28/2021

"Sleep is the single most effective thing you can do to rest your brain and body for health" -Dr. Mathew Walker. Better sleep equals a better you!

No amount of change to your diet and exercise will create lasting physical health if you aren't getting good sleep! It's like rowing upstream in a boat with a leak in it.

Not getting enough sleep causes:

Decreased energy levels
Weakened gut
Disrupted hormones
Weak immune system
Decreased brain function (stress, anxiety, memory)
Less emotional regulation
Weight gain

Getting enough sleep involves realizing the value of it and making it a priority. Getting deeper and more restful sleep involves little changes you make throughout your day.

Tips for restorative sleep:

Morning exercise - 20 minutes of morning sunlight boost circadian rhythms
Deep breathing- Deep breathing activates the vagus nerve and calms the nervous system
Regular sleep and wake times - Go to bed and get up within 1 hour of your set time
Establish a bedtime routine- reading, journaling, prayer and listening to music
Turn off screens at least 1 hour before bed- EMF (electromagnetic frequencies) can limit melatonin production, impact circadian rhythms and impact memory and learning
Sleep in a dark, cool room
Don't eat 2-3 hours before sleeping- If you go to bed full, your body will spend time digesting rather than repair, restoring and detoxing
Aim for 8-10 hours of sleep every night

Make Your Hormones Happy!

5/14/2021

Today I would like to share about some of my favorite essential oils to support hormones. While hormones is a broad and complex topic and effects so many areas of our lives, I'll give you a few tips for where to begin.

Stress- Yes, our hormones are responsible for our stress levels. And how we manage stress effects our hormone health.

Basil- supports physical, emotional and mental fatigue
Balance- supports anxious feelings, emotional swings, stress and enhances mediation
Bergamot- promotes feelings of being worthy and supports all areas of stress (emotional, physical, chemical, mental)

Sleep- Our sleep is regulated by our hormones and when we get deep, restful sleep it balances our hormones!

Serenity- calms fears, nervousness, anger, irritability & agitation and promotes restful sleep
Peace- promotes feelings of calmness, peace, reassurance and contentment
Lavender- is calming, soothing and great for helping children and babies sleep better

Weight- There are many factors to consider with weight but curbing cravings is a great place to begin!

Slim & Sassy- promotes increased metabolism, curbs cravings, promotes blood sugar balance
Grapefruit- promotes weight loss, curbs sugar cravings, encourages release of excess fluid
Cinnamon- promotes blood sugar balance

Menstrual Cycle Regulation- This is what most of us think of when we think of hormones- progesterone, estrogen and testosterone balance.

Clary Calm- promotes hormone balance, eases PMS, calms cramping, and supports regulation of flow, balances mood and hot flashes.
Grapefruit, Thyme- promotes healthy progesterone levels
Fennel- promotes healthy estrogen levels and healthy ovaries
Ginger- promotes healthy menstruation and eases cramping
Clary Sage- promotes healthy estrogen levels, after baby hormone balancing, promotes labor, eases occasional hot flashes

As women, hormones affect all aspects of our daily lives. And when they are out of whack, we feel less than optimal. But the good news is, you don't have to live like that! That's my passion!

If you are tired of feeling run down, moody, carrying extra weight or not sleeping, I would love to connect with you and help you discover what needs supported and balanced in your life! Together we will do some testing to see where you are at, create a personal plan and some lifestyle changes that will make all the difference in the world for you!

Sign up now to start your journey to feeling amazing!

Stress. Who of Us Can Say We Don't Have Any?

9/4/2020

Whew! Does anyone else feel like the last six months have pushed you to the edge? I have! As we have all faced so many changes, uncertainty and fear, our bodies have felt it too!

Stress isn't just something we deal with. It's the major cause of most health problems! We probably all know that stress isn't good for us and we should do something to manage it but what should we do?

Sometimes our stress is obvious but are there times where our bodies are stressed that we don't even realize it? Our body constantly gives us signals to tell us what it needs. We just have to listen. Stress can be manifested by:

weight gain- especially in the belly area
headaches
sleep disturbances
depression
irritability
insulin dependency
sugar cravings
fatigue
feeling overwhelmed
heart palpitations
digestive discomfort
hormone imbalances

As I've felt the impacts of increased stress in the last few months, I've had to increase my stress management skills. These are a few my favorite go-tos:

Avoid sugar and eat whole foods
Exercise daily
Journal and take time to be still!
Supplement with magnesium, B-Complex, Nervous Fatigue and Ashwaganda (all available at the Country Cupboard)
Sleep 7-8 hours every night

If you give your body what it needs, it will heal itself! Do yourself a favor and give your body some self care!