As I have time carved out for writing on certain days, Wednesday mornings is one of them. I usually cannot wait to get up in the morning to work out, get my creative hat on and just BE. This morning I awoke feeling a little ‘off’. I had neck tension (from not winding down after yoga…seems counter-intuitive, but it was hard!), was tired and had a sore throat. Weird. So, I sat with it for a bit and went through my health inventory:
- Did I get enough sleep?
- Yes, although it was later than my usual routine.
- Did I drink enough water yesterday?
- No.
- Did I eat whole foods yesterday?
- Yes.
- Did I exercise yesterday?
- Yes.
- Am I stressed or is anything pulling me in a different direction?
- No.
- Was I holding something back something in my voice and not allowing it to come out?
- No.
So, I went back to the drawing board to see what else was going on. Historically, a sore throat is my first sign that I’m getting run down and if I choose to listen to that sign and go through the above inventory, I will recover in a few hours. As I was lying in bed under the warm covers with the cool breeze coming in, it hit me!! I slept with the windows open and it was 40 degrees last night.
This is not a ‘sick’ (whatever that even means) kind of thing. It is important to know and learn the difference with what your body is telling you. It gives you signs and trusts that you will listen to what it tells you and give it what it needs. I do not need a doctor visit, Cloraseptic or a Hall’s cough drop, but I do need to give my body what it wants. This is what I’m doing this morning:
- Drinking 50 oz of reverse osmosis water
- Stretching
- Relaxing (and writing!!)
I use this recipe for a Sore Throat Remedy (kids like it too). Add a dollup to your hot water for an awesome tasting tea. For a modification, I often exchange Young Living Lemon Essential Oils in place of the lemon juice. If you do that, I put about 8-10 drops in the mixture and then use a teaspoon (you may have to experiment with what kind of taste you like) in your hot water.
So, here’s another tool in your toolbox to greater health for you and your family! Remember that health comes from the inside-out and so many factors affect how we feel and how we function. It is our role to know and listen to what our bodies need to create more health, not less health.
Cheers to YOUR health!
Dr. Tiffany
