 By: Dr. Richelle Galay As the days grow longer and the sun shines brighter, there's no better time to focus on your health and well-being! I'm thrilled to announce Vibrant Naturopathic Clinic's FREE 7-week Summer Solstice Wellness Challenge, designed to help women amplify their lives and live life to their fullest! Why a Summer Solstice Challenge? The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year and has long been celebrated as a time of renewal and growth. Just as nature reaches its peak during this time, I believe it's the perfect opportunity for women to nurture their health, instead of forgetting about it for months ; ) What to Expect The challenge is structured to discuss key areas effecting women's health over seven weeks:
You'll receive weekly emails with knowledge about that weeks topic as well as foundational lifestyle resources, and tools to support it all! The Vibrant Women's Collective When you join the challenge, you'll also gain access to the Vibrant Women's Collective - Facebook group. This supportive community is a place to connect with like-minded women, share your experiences, and find encouragement on your wellness journey. I know, I know Facebook groups are a dime a dozen, but I really want you to get the most out of the challenge and the best way to do that is to have some accountability, some sense of community and I may even throw in some prizes for engagement ; ) Expert Guidance Throughout the challenge, you'll benefit from the expertise of me, Dr. Richelle Galay, a licensed Naturopathic Doctor, focused on changing the way women feel about their bodies and their health. I'm on a mission to not have women feel unheard, unsupported and misunderstood when it comes to their health and what they feel is going on in their body. So, main reasons to join?
So, what do you say, ready to amplify your life this summer? Simply click the button below, enter your email address and that's it! We start July 8th! Join the Summer Solstice Wellness Challenge and embark on a transformative journey towards vibrant health. Your future self will thank you!
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 Hey Becca!
Looks like you're at the doctors office? Are you doing ok? Just getting a few things checked out are you? Thats good to hear! Knowing when to seek help from a health care professional is always a good step towards improving your health journey. Even better is having the knowledge to know what to ask. Becca is feeling confident in her knowledge of how her body works, knowing that just because something is "common" does not necessarily make it normal. She then has the tools to advocate for testing, and knows what questions ask, to get the answers she needs. The Braided Table is the perfect opportunity to find out about lots of common conditions that aren't necessarily normal, which can lead to earlier detection of a diagnosis and then of course solutions. Want to join us for the next round of The Braided Table? Next session starts in February, but you don't have to wait until then to see what it's all about. Join me, Dr. Richelle, as I walk you through the first, foundational module all about Goals, Mindset and Intuition. This module is made to help set the scene for all other modules (there are 8 in total). It will give you a sense of the layout of the other modules, but also a great base to start any health care journey, whether you decide to actually DO the rest of the program. Have more questions? Head to the "Contact Us" tab and send me a message! Want to join us this Saturday, January 13th from 1-3? Head to the link below to register.  What's up Becca!?
Looks like you are surrounded by an amazing group of supporters! These must be the other Braided Beauties! How amazing is it that you have this group of women to share with and to cheer each other on. Especially given the last few years (you all know what I'm talking about ; ) Health journey's can be tough and having people to share it with who are on a similar journey is so important. As the wonderful Brene Brown says: "We don't have to do it all of it alone. We were never meant to." And I think it definitely applies here! A support network is so important, its one of the questions I ask every single patient, whether they feel they have one or not and how supportive they feel it is. I am so glad Becca that you found The Braided Table and have this fun group of Braided Beauties to connect with, learn from and cheer each other on. If you are interested in learning more about The Braided Table and becoming a Braided Beauty yourself, head to the contact us page and send me message! The Foundational Module - Goals, Mindset and Intuition, starts in one week! Saturday, January 13th from 1-3 pm. Wanna sign up? Link below to the booking site. I'd love to see you there!  Hey Becca! What's up today?
Looks to me like Becca has been sitting down and figuring some stuff out. I bet she's working on her Braided Table Foundational Module of - Goals, Mindset and Intuition. In the first module Becca and the other Braided Beauties learned the importance of goal setting, having a growth mindset and of course dove into our super power as women - our intuition. Way to go Becca! I'd say you're on your way to setting out the path to an empowered health journey. How about you? Do you take time to set out goals for your health, think about how your mindset can either be adding to that goal or hindering it, and of course sprinkle in a little intuition to the mix? Wanna learn more about how to get support with all of this and more with The Braided Table community program? Join me, Dr. Richelle, as I walk you through this Foundational Module - Saturday, January 13th from 1-3 pm. This isn't just a sit and listen type of workshop either. We'll do some grounding, some brainstorming, and I even have a little creative activity up my sleeve. ; ) Head to the link below to sign up! Value exchange is only $95 plus taxes, and you'll leave feeling like you have a beautiful map of your health goals moving forward.
I'd like to introduce you to two things: The Braided Table and my friend Becca.
The Braided Table is an 8 module women's health empowerment program. Let's see how it changed Becca's life for the better. Becca is what we call A Braided Beauty. What is A Braided Beauty you ask? Why its someone who has participated in The Braided Table community program, that's who! Before participating in the program, Becca's was frustrated and discouraged with her body and her health. She had read all the posts, and tried so many things. Even talking to her doctor didn't seem to help her understand what was going on with her body. She felt as though she was broken and was starting to feel hopeless to ever feel good in her body again, and it all just seemed soooo overwhelming! Then Becca found The Braided Table. The Braided Table provided Becca with a safe space to learn all about her body, so she could better understand what it was trying to tell her. It also provided her with a community of other women going through a similar process, cheering her on and making her accountable to make some changes. Now Becca is happy, feeling more energetic than she has in years, and confident. Confident that she can make good health decisions, because she has the knowledge and the kick-ass support of her other Braided Beauties. Wanna learn more about how you too can become A Braided Beauty? The Foundational Module - Goals, Mindset and Intuition is set to run Saturday, January 13 from 1-3 pm. This is the place to start. Get clear on some of the health goals you would like to achieve for 2024, and start to understand the areas that need a little extra support. Stay tuned as we drop more of Becca's adventures leading up to the first module. Interested and want to sign up now? Click the online booking link below, choose on Community Happenings and sign yourself up!  By: Dr. Richelle Galay ND
So this past long weekend the kids and I took a road trip to see my husband. Mountains here we come! We decided to rent a vehicle to do this because although my old stick shift jeep still has some life left in it, I wasn't sure it was up for such a trip. So this new fancy vehicle we rent has all sorts of "driver assist" features. And while I'm sure there is a way to turn them off I didn't take the time to do that. One of the features is geared to help you "stay in your lane" while on the highway. If it senses you are getting close to either the middle line or the shoulder line it shows all these reddish coloured notices on your dash and gently nudges your wheel back to centre. Which to be honest threw me off a few times! There were a few instances when it was wrong. I was perfectly fine and just merging lanes but it was sensing that I was "crossing a line" I shouldn't have been. Now the rebel that I am decided well what would happen if I just let go of the wheel all together? (sorry to all those squeamish rule followers). You know what it did? This fancy "driver assist" vehicle dinged a bunch of noises and sent a giant notification on the dash reading "PLEASE KEEP YOUR HANDS ON THE WHEEL". Well duh car! I'm the driver! I am the one with the full view of the road ahead in all directions. I'm the one who is able to decipher the nuances that you are not. So dear reader, please remember that you are the driver. Any practitioner (including myself), expert, support person you engage with is just there to "assist" you on the journey. You are the one in control as you have the greatest vantage point. You got this; own it. Keep your hands on the wheel.
SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound. There are varying substitutions for this acronym. For example, you could swap attainable for achievable, but the end result is the same. The main reason people cannot stick with resolutions comes down to these five attributes.
Take the first one as an example, specific. Often, we make goals that are too general: ‘this is the year I start going to the gym’ or ‘this year I will eat more fruit”. A better, more specific and measurable approach would be to say ‘My SMART goal is to exercise 20 minutes, Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for the month of January’. Only making goals we can realistically work it into our lives will help us stick to the program. If the goal feels unrealistic the goal should be modified. The feeling of success after the goal has been reached will encourage more positive choices, where as feelings of failure do not. One of the most popular resolutions is weight-loss. It’s not surprising since society has promoted health through a “thin-lens”. Although weight loss may be an appropriate side effect of living a healthy life, I would recommend not making a weight-loss resolution this year. Focusing too much on the scale and body image can derail our health efforts, making us think that nothing is happening. All healthy choices are worth making, no matter what. Learn more about setting SMART goals and other helpful lifestyle changes. Book your complementary 15-minute meet and greet today.
On the other hand, being calm has shown to upregulate those same genes. How quickly we
can recover from a stressful situation can also affect other health outcomes. Constantly being in fight-or-flight mode means cells are using all their energy to deal with the present “emergency”. They cannot devote energy to digestion, circulation and other essential functions that keep our bodies balanced, like they do in rest and digest mode, the other division of our autonomic nervous system. Some amount of acute stress is unavoidable and necessary. The good news is, we can use techniques for stress management as a way of bringing our selves back to baseline. Exercise, nourishment, meditation, breathing, self-hypnosis, guided imagery and visualization, to name a few! People that use these and other methods of managing anxiety and stressors, even for a few minutes a day, have reported better focus and time management skills. These options are cost and time effective strategies for our long-term health. Learn more about how nutrition affects our ability to deal with daily ups and downs. Book your complementary 15-minute meet and greet with me today.
So, what is really important in nutritional counselling?
In my opinion; the relationship with the counsellor. A positive client-counsellor exchange is paramount for success. The counsellor’s main job is to understand your perspective, to build a trusting relationship and cultivate positive regard, even when things do not go as planned. Nutritional counselling is different because non-food nutrition, sleep quality, stress levels, fulfilment, general moods and beliefs about one’s self, are also considered. The goal is not a diet. The goal is fuel for life. Ask your self “What is my life like now? What do I want my life to look like a year from now?” Really visualizing the future can make meaningful changes last. A great way to start is to set the stage for your day to play out the way you want it to. If we set up life to make healthy habits the easiest thing to do, our chances of meeting our goals are greatly enhanced. Things like having your breakfast table set the night before or bringing runners to work for a quick lunchtime power walk. Setting up your environment for small successes can make a big difference for your health. Learn about que management and other techniques to promote overall well-being and nutrition. Book your complementary 15-minute consultation.
Answer this: when you look in the mirror, what do you say to yourself? Do you feel worthy enough to take time for your interests, hobbies, friends, rest and relaxation or enjoyable exercise?
A perfectly personalized meal plan and supplement regime will fall flat if uniqueness and worthiness are not in the picture. Looking at food and physical activity is only part of the whole and I can safely assume that even the best laid plans will ultimately be abandoned without compassion for the self. In other words, be kind to yourself because we all fall down. Nutritional counselling includes personal, cultural and ethical sensitivities and makes use of skills that empower you to choose your own path. Non-food nutrition includes stress levels, how we think and feel about our selves and how much purpose we feel. All of these have an impact on what we choose to put into our bodies. Learn how to incorporate mindfulness into your day and set some small, meaningful and realistic goals. Love your self to feed your self. Click below to book your free 15 min meet and greet. |
AuthorsRichelle and Chris. Empowering people to live positive, vibrant lives. Archives
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