Page 38 - Robeson Living Fall 2017

Winding Down Summer & Adjusting to a New Routine…

As our summer memories set in and the cool fall weather moves in with the hustle and bustle of
school activities, sports and of course time changes. The night hours come quickly, prepping for
crockpot dinners on the weekends and engaging homework at the dinner table.

Let’s be honest – eating healthy, getting a workout/run/walk in before or after dinner, and most importantly – sleep; is
the hardest to balance in our lives. Setting up a routine for you and your family to follow with a little flexibility, makes
HUGE successes in the long run for everyone! Here are a few tips.

Benefits of a Healthy Lifestyle?

Start the fall with you and your family in mind. A healthy lifestyle can be scary when you first start, it appears to be a
1
lot of work…but “begin with nutrition and a basic meal plan,” says Kitty Finklea, a registered dietitian nutritionist at the
Diabetes and Nutrition Center in Florence, SC.

• Meal plan for the week: start with a grocery list, incorporate “real” foods such as whole grains, fruits & veggies.
• Think about what you drink throughout the day: Water, Coffee, Hot Tea – watch out for those empty calories.
• Adding flavor to your meals: essential oils can be a great way to enhance the flavors such as cinnamon in
pancake or waffle mix, fennel with avocado toast, lime or lemon in your water. A drop or two of essential oil can
intensify the flavors creating a whole new outlook on food.

Pick Yourself UP & Enjoy Exercise!
There are so many fads on television and it makes me think, what if I just make the choice, the commitment for me? The
commitment is the key to being successful. I work full-time and a mom of two boys with a title of ‘yellow taxi’ once
school releases and activities begin, but when the weight keeps adding or the flab is jiggling a little too much – the only
one to change this routine is YOU! There are plenty of choices in our community with vast ability levels.

• Yoga is a great practice to re-center yourself, de-stress and balance your life through poses to enhance breathing,
strengthen your core, & increase flexibility. Many yogis use essential oils to elevate the senses through smell.
2
“Smell is not only functional, but also intuitive…” Some great essential oils for yoga are Young Living stress
away, lavender, peppermint and eucalyptus globulus.

• Gym/Fitness Centers & Crossfit Boxes are great choices for getting back into the fitness routine, but with all
things new or revisited = muscle soreness, aches and pains. Remember to pay attention to your body and how
you fuel it (food/hydration, sleep/recovery, essential oils – aromatic, ingesting and topically).

Benefits in using Essential Oils

Aromatically: using a diffuser, a few drops of essential oils (EO) or rub 2-3 drops of EO in the palms of your
hands and inhale can lift the mood and enhance sleep.

1
Finklea, K. (2017, September 10). Kathy Finklea: Staying on track with a healthy lifestyle. The Morning News. Retrieved September 11, 2017, from
http://www.scnow.com/living/health/article_bb57574a-9667-11e7-93c9-872e0985fd65.html
2 Atkins, S. (2016, August 5). 6 Yoga Experts Reveal Their Go-To Essential Oils. The Huff Post. Retrieved September 11, 2017, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/6-yoga-experts-reveal-the_b_11355170.html?utm_hp_ref=essential-oils