Thoughts

What a month for intention setting, prioritizing, cleaning out, resting and restoring but also a time to really take inventory of what’s inside.

What is that nagging voice inside telling you

Is that voice kind?’

Is it speaking truth?

Or Is it stuck in a negative cycle of sled deprecation?

I gladly sharing that have overcome that vicious cycle. I still see it, having moments remembering the Marion of the past but I choose not to live there anymore. Not to dwell in those behavior patterns that no longer serve me.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still struggling to overcome some really deeply ingrained cycles of distraction, questioning my worth and putting “hard work” at the forefront of receiving love from myself. But, having the awareness to see and then stop myself, then choosing to make choice to change, that just makes my hope for even more growth grow stronger everyday.

Speaking of intentions,

I wanted to thank those of you that took advantage of the intention setting workshop. You invested a valuable resource into your own being, an investment that will pay dividends for years to come. You took the time to explore, honor and love yourself and I am so very proud.

Some #takeaways from the workshops I’ve love to share;

you have a responsibility to speak your truth, especially to yourself. Honor that voice inside. No one else can hear the yearning, the desires and inner struggle
You are worthy of whatever your heart desires and its possible for you
It’s not about the destination, its who you become on the way to your dreams
No dream is too small or too big to have a voice
The best gift received is that of an honest heart with oneself.

Some intentions to inspire you (its never too late to make them);

I intend to say NO in order to keep balance of my time.
I intend to stay away from people that raise red flags.
I intend to be flexible and kind to myself, allowing the natural evolution of growth to take place.
I intend to nourish my body and treat it with loving kindness; working out and strengthening it, nurturing and relaxing it, and loving every piece of it.
I intend to detach from outcomes, knowing that I have no control of them. Attachment keeps me living in a place of fear which is does not serve my highest good.
I intend to make time to play at least 3x a week by scheduling it into my calendar. I can do this by attending a barre class, dancing in my kitchen, reaching out and connecting with friends to socialize, or letting go of my responsibilities with my children and enjoy the moments on their level.

I personally love the last one. Not only is it a clear intention but it is also a path to execution!

That’s why the next workshops will be focusing on goal setting. Getting specific, getting real and making steps towards our dreams. I hope you can join in too!

Intentions are all fine and dandy, but unless you have a process or plan in order to take steps towards that goal….well then they are just wishes.

What's Good for the Mind

Awareness of Ego - recognizing how you talk to yourself. That inner dialogue can be a real bitch! And not nice or well meaning at all. That voice is generated by your ego.

You’ve herd of this little bastard right? It was created to keep your body feeling safe in a world with so many dangers. Humans today living in the 21st century, one of the biggest challenges we face is should I wear this down jacket or that one? Will I it make me look weird? Global Warming YES is a threat but let's be honest, what real physical threat are we faced with on a day to day basis? There are no saber tooth tigers coming to get you. Sharks going to swim into your house. You do not live in a tribe that will cast you out to brave the elements alone without food or shelter for speaking up against the chief.

The ego is not a cheerleader. It's a defense mechanism.

So why do we let it control the majority of our decisions?

Mostly because The Ego is struck on a repeated cycle, a record that spins round and round until you decide to change the song. And my friend, you have the ability too!

How do I know? Because I learned I was not my thoughts. Just as you are not your thoughts

Some resources to help guide you on this journey to kicking your ego in the face.

Identify their voice and labeling it. I call mine Beth (there was this girl in my high school with that name that picked on me all the time so it makes sense for me to give her a name I dislike. Also my middle name is Elizabeth so it kinda works that way too.

Recognize when they are talking to you. “Oh, that’s my ego talking”
Say “Thank you for expressing your concerns but fuck off that’s not who I am - or that is not my truth
“Thank you for keeping me safe for so long, I no longer need you anymore. I am loved”

Here are some other helpful resources:

Read Brene Browns, The Gifts of Imperfection
Listen to https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/10-ways-to-spot-ego-how-to-replace-it-with-self-esteem/id1450994021?i=1000450477311
This is an Interesting article by Psychology Today
Another article that defines the Id from Ego from SuperEgo
25 Ways to Kill to Toxic Ego

What’s Good for the Body:

Yoga but specifically Yin & Restorative Yoga

These past 5 years I have fallen madly in love with Yoga for its ability to allow me to connect to and move stagnant energy though-out the body. We don't know where we hold tension unless we allow curiosity to explore our bodies in what each part feels like.

Yin is the time of quiet / slow (opposite of Yang with is energy)

And Yin Yoga is the practice of holding a posture for more than 1.5 minutes. This holding allows for a gentle relaxing of your primary muscles to allow for energy to flow into our connective tissues where it can get trapped (stagnant)

Restorative Yoga is similar to in in that postures are held for longer, however I see Restorative as gentle and more supportive.

I would recommend seeking these classes in person, Yoga Mandali in Saratoga is phenomenal but in the times of social distancing there are thankfully many virtual options.

What's Good for Your Wallet

Tracking Spending

In the same way we need to be cautious and intentional about our daily consumptions of food, personal care, social interactions, social media usage and how we talk to ourself, keeping track of your daily-weekly-monthly spending has a tremendous impact on your spending.

It allows you to become more mindful on how you are spending and how you could save. And what we track has the ability to grow because we are giving it intentional attention.

Helpful Tracking Apps:

Now I’m not going to pretend I’m an expert investor here, but I do recognize when good information comes and see it as my role to share.

Whats Good for Your Belly

Fiber - Your Microbiomes Macronutrient

To start, our Microbiome is this expansive network in our gastrointestinal tract compromised of bugs, nerves, hormones and enzymes all with the goal to digest and extract nutrients out of the food we eat to make every single cell of your body. Pretty awesome right?!

So these bugs, probiotics, do some really incredible things like cleaning up digestive and cellular waste, ferment any not digested food, kill invading bad bacteria, make short-chain fatty acids that help protect the intestinal wall lining and reduce inflammation. Incredible!

When we have a wide diversity of good bugs, that is truly the recipe for healthy metabolism and and healthy body. How do we get diversity? Start by eating a diet rich in diversity of fruits, vegetables and fermented foods. You could also avoid using antibiotics and supplement your diet by consuming external probiotics (stay tuned for details on which probiotics you should choose but the quick/easy answer is spore based, I love this one).

The last thing and probably the most important is thing you can do to support those little bugs within is to understand that they are living creatures that need love and nutrition to survive.

What do they eat? Prebotics aka Fiber

Like our macro nutrients (Protein, Carbs and Fat), Dietary Fiber has many different varieties but is generally divided into two main categories soluble and Insoluble.

Fiber is the non-digestible components of plants that move thought digestion untatered making its way through the small intestine and into the large colon. We naturally do not proses the enzymes to break fiber down because we were beautifully designed to carry these probiotics that can/do. The probiotics use fiber as an incredibly nutritious macronutrient

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Soluble (mixes with water to form a gel-like substance and is fermented by gut bacteria)

Insoluble (remains intact and adds bulk, it absorbs fluid and sticks to other byproducts of digestion, Its presence speeds up the movement and prevents blockage and constipation

Looking closer at Fiber in general, you'll find some further classifications based on their molecular structure but the one I'd like to highlight is that of Resistance Starch because this is the special sauce for those good bugs. I'm working on a blog post that goes into these in more detail so stay tuned for that but For this informational newsletter, let's keep it simple,

You need more fiber! Here are some to get your bugs jamming

Pectin (think apples, garlic, onions, chicory tot, jicama, artichoke & asparagus)

Inulin (asparagus, leeks, onions, green bananas, Cocoa,

Resistant Starch (overnight oats, cooked & cooled rice/potatos, sorghum, barley, beans & legumes, potato starch, green bananas)

How much Fiber?

Women should try to eat at least 21 to 25 grams a day,
Men men should aim for 30 to 38 grams a day.

Both should aim for 15g per day of Resistant Starch.

FYI:

Based on recent surveys, the average American consumes 10 to 15 grams of total fiber per day. Which, is less than half of what they should be. We have plenty of room for improvement in this area especially when studies are confirming the positive effects of consuming 25 or more grams of fiber per day for health including;

- Decreased Risk cardiac disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and/or colon cancer by 16% to 24%, compared to people who ate very little fiber. cardiac disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and/or colon cancer by 16% to 24%, compared to people who ate very little fiber.

- decreased risk of death from any cause by 23% (compared to those eating the least amount of fiber
- Weight Management

Recipes to get your Fiber on

Want another options besides increasing you plant intake?

This is what I do, besides eating a lot of plants, I add it to my baked goods, snack balls and even my morning mugs.

> Arbonne's Protein Powder has 4g per serving (2 scoops) which may not seem like a lot but any addition adds up overtimes. // have I mentioned the new Banana Nut Flavor is AMAZING!

> Arbonne's BeWell Superfood Greens has 3g of Fiber per serving.

My Recommended Fiber Supplements:

Really, when you start looking you're going to see them everywhere, even CVS sells
"Benefiber Daily Prebiotic Fiber" but I wouldn't recommend that one because the fiber is derived from wheat dextrin and the gluten could counteract any benefit of the fiber.

And a few important tips as you increase your fiber:

- Do so gradually to give your gastrointestinal tract time to adapt.

- Increase your water intake as you increase fiber.

Phew - that was a doozie

I sure hope you received some value out of this newsletter.

If you have any questions about the topics I covered or would like to dive in a little deeper, I am totally up for that, reach out! Call, text, email, insta, you know how to reach me 😉

See you next time with more of What's Good

✌️😘

Marion Horan, MS, CNC

M.Sc. in Human Nutrition, Certified Nutrition Coach,

Health & Wellness Expert, CEO of Live Clean and Thrive, LLC

Brand Ambassador for Arbonne International

I am a passionate business owner on a mission to share truth that empowers you to thrive in your Mind, Body and Spirit. Inspiring a message of hope with love, that we deserve better and providing you with the tools to make it happen too!

What's Good January

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