Healthy Lifestyle

Tips & Tricks for Mindful Healing

/ embracingspirit / 2 Comments

How can we maintain our strength and equilibrium in the face of our greatest challenge?

Each morning I sit and read something with the intent to be inspired or at the minimum give me something to ponder throughout the day. This morning I reached for my Yoga 365 book and today’s passage was so aligned with a video I created yesterday talking about the mindful ways we can bring an added element to our healing process. Finding tips and tricks for mindful healing has been my focus this last month.

For me specifically with my recent hip surgery, I am implementing a few strategies that doctors do not necessarily tell you when you are faced with a major surgery. While I greatly appreciate the practical things that a person needs, it is the nuances of daily living that I believe go quite far in the healing process.

Tips and Tricks for Mindful Healing:

Our mindset will greatly influence our mental health during any sort of healing process, whether it is a surgery, an illness or a major life upheaval. These six mindful healing tips are perfect for anyone:

  1. Keeping a daily routine. If you have always been a person who gets up and reads, or meditates, or journals, or prays, then keep doing that. Don’t sacrifice your spiritual practice because your physical body is working hard to improve. Also, if you are a person that gets up every day and puts a little makeup on, then keep doing that. Taking care of yourself and helping yourself to feel somewhat “normal” during this temporary healing time will do wonders for your happiness factor. Finally, getting dressed everyday and getting out of your pajamas (even if you wear comfy house clothes), the simple act of getting up and dressed everyday will send a message to your brain that you are in fact getting better. Plus, you’ll look better and when we look better, we have a tendency to feel better. I am a huge fan of lipstick and mascara and not a single day has passed that I don’t take the five minutes to make myself feel beautiful.
  2. Develop a mindset of gratitude. Each day I spend a few minutes in deep gratitude for the surgeon and for the implant in my body. Even though I still have a lot of pain and mobility is hard, I am mindful each day to thank my body for accepting this new joint and welcoming it into my body. I am grateful for my cells moving around my body to encourage healing. I am grateful for my strong muscles that are working hard to regain their strength to support the new joint. When we shift our mindset from a pain point to a gratitude point, our entire mental outlook can shift. Sure, it would be easy to sit in my 3 days worn pajamas and mope that my body hasn’t healed as fast as what others have, and I could complain that the surgery must have somehow gone wrong, and my immune system is overactive causing extra pain, OR I could embrace this new challenge through the lens of gratitude and be intentional about loving this new body part.
  3. Speak kindly to yourself and others. We have all heard that kindness is the path to a better world. Speaking kindly about yourself and to yourself during this time of vulnerability is so important. Falling into the trap of self-pity, or worse self-defeating language will only slow your progress. For the people who are helping you, they are doing their very best to make sure that you are healing and comfortable and if you are a person who is usually very self-sufficient, it can be emotionally draining on your family and friends to see you in a different way. Be kind and thank them for every small thing that they are now doing for you. We have a tendency to be hardest on ourselves and those closest to us so remembering to speak kindly will be a huge asset to you.
  4. Setting up your space. The doctor will likely give you a few tips to get your home ready for when you come home from surgery–things like remove loose area rugs, move items to waist level, get your medications refilled, have a grabber for picking up dropped items, etc. These are all great and much needed suggestions, however I found a few more things that have helped me feel better. I made sure that the items I use regularly like essential oils, diffusers, herbal teas, supplements, hand lotion, and other self care items are accessible. I created a space in my house specifically for this healing process where I have a comfy chair, a basket of healthy snacks, a stash of essential oils, a diffuser, my favorite electric tea pot, books, journals, fun pens, my iPad, beautiful plants, and plenty of chargers within one room. This eliminates the constant need for someone to run get something for me AND it gives my space the homey and comfortable feel that I like everyday. Imagine trying to heal in a cold, dark, sterile, or dingy environment. Yuck. Make your space pretty and just what YOU like because you are gonna be there a while.
  5. You have to have movement. Any type of movement to get circulation going is so imperative. If you have had hip surgery like me, move your upper body. If you have had shoulder surgery, move your lower body. At the minimum move your spine in all six directions once a day. It literally takes five minutes and will increase circulation, get your chi moving and make you feel good which are all good things when it comes to healing. Movement is medicine.
  6. Start a new hobby. You might be thinking that a new hobby right now is too overwhelming but I am telling you, it will shift your awareness from hurting and not feeling great to something productive and potentially fun. If you have never been a big reader, now is a great time to download your free library app and start borrowing books (yes, even on a small phone this can be enjoyable), or ask to borrow books from friends. Maybe you have always wanted to learn how to knit or crochet…YouTube is filled with tutorials and Amazon delivers yarn and crochet hooks. Perhaps you have been wanting to take up writing your own blog on a topic you are passionate about. What a great time to put your brain on something other than pain. For me, I have enjoyed crocheting, jigsaw puzzles on my iPad, digital planning, and making sourdough anything. The joy factor is increases while I am doing those activities and my mind is less focused on hurting.

And there you have it! These are easy ways to maintain your strength and equilibrium while faced with one of the hardest things you may ever go through. By redirecting my thoughts, speaking kindly, wearing my favorite shade of lipstick and clean clothes everyday, easy movements, eating healthy organic cashews and sipping tea, AND feeding my brain with wholesome hobbies while being SO grateful, I am on my way!

Comparison Is the Thief of Joy

/ embracingspirit / 1 Comment

Comparison is the thief of joy.

Theodore Roosevelt

As human beings we are likely to have had a few times in our life where we longed for the greener grass that others seem to have. We might even spend some of our time filled with envy wishing that our experience is different than it is and that others have it better than we do.

When I was a young mom I spent way too many days comparing myself and my kids to others. It was exhausting and I broke free of all of that during my great wake up in my early thirties. I dropped the desire to compare myself with others long ago for the most part, however, major life events typically bring out our vulnerability and we might find ourselves once again looking at other people’s experience and comparing ourselves to them.

This old feeling of comparing myself started to come back lately when it comes to my recent hip replacement surgery. If I had a nickel for everyone who has told me that their 80 year old whoever was walking in a week without a cane I probably wouldn’t have to go back to work. Seriously…how is that useful? Or the stories of young athletes getting back to their sport within weeks. I get it…those miracles and amazing stories do happen and that is awesome, but not everyone has that experience. When I hear these examples it is hard to not compare myself with them and it is something I am working on daily while also finding the opportunity to remind others who share their fast healing stories with me that it isn’s always that way for everyone, although I am thrilled for them.

Awareness is the key to cultivating true compassion but that is another day’s blog post.

Instead of comparing myself to those stories I have decided instead to look for small daily wins and remember that this is a marathon and not a sprint. It might be that showering without any help is my win. Or getting out to my yoga studio to record a session is a win. Maybe making a simple dinner is a win. Definitely the sourdough English muffins this week were a win. ?

If I spent my days comparing myself to others I would lose my joy in those small, yet huge wins.

My surgeon and my physical therapist were great this week at reminding me that my experience is vastly different than most, and the factors that go into my own healing are unique to me, so breathe and be patient and also look for those small wins each day to carry me through until I am back in the “normal” swing of things. And, I am reminding myself that “normal” may look very different for me compared to pre-surgery.

It is natural for people to compare themselves with others but I want to encourage the world to stop doing that. Many times people even compare themselves with me and I try to insist that instead to look at their own gifts and be proud of them. We are all special in some way and while it may seem to some that I have myself all together, I really don’t. I work at it each and every day.

Find the joy in YOU and in your own small victories. Comparing yourself will definitely steal your joy and life is simply too short to live a joy-less life.

I have also learned that although the grass may appear greener, there is always some other species of “weeds” that have taken space in the seemingly green space and my own green is perfect for me, weeds and all.

Stacie believes that it is her life purpose to share the gift of Yoga with anyone who is willing to say yes. In addition to raising a family and being an advocate for those with disabilities, Stacie is founder of Embracing Spirit Yoga which specializes in bringing adaptive Yoga into community centers and rehabilitation clinics. Bringing her depth of compassion to the mat–or the chair–she offers students the opportunity to grow as an individual in all aspects of their life.

With over sixteen years experience, Stacie Wyatt is an experienced 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Certified Trauma Informed Coach, Life Wellness Coach, Senior YogaFit Instructor, Mind/Body Personal trainer, Stress Reduction and Meditation Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and Barre Instructor. Stacie is also certified in Integrative Movement Therapy™and is also a believer in the power and application of essential oils for health and wellness and proudly shares doTERRA essential oils.

Stacie brings her personal life experience of raising a daughter with a disability and over 12 years working in special education to her everyday Yoga classes.

Just Like That

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It always marvels me just how adaptable we as humans can be. What initially may feel like a huge hurdle soon becomes a seamlessly easy routine.

I’ve experienced this so much over my adult life without ever really connecting the dots that I have indeed adapted to situations that initially felt so overwhelming. New jobs, divorce, selling a home, retirement, and illness are all examples of monstrous seeming hurdles and yet, somehow, most of us endure them. In fact, many times we come out better on the other side. I see it clearly now.

The covid pandemic was a perfect example for me personally at this resiliency to adapt that I now believe we are all wired with, if we are open to it, and have the capacity to be somewhat flexible.

As soon as the world shut down and the places I was teaching yoga at closed their doors to visitors, and the major health club I was a regular fixture at closed, I had to switch gears quickly. After just two days of wondering how I would earn a living, I started offering virtual yoga through recorded sessions that I sent out to my followers and on social media. Within a week I had a YouTube channel and life soon became one of virtual yoga sessions and staring at my face for hours a day on a computer. My business model was to accept donations by trusting that those who could pay would, and those who were also faced with uncertainty, would simply use the videos to get through, and pay it forward somehow when they could.

I had great success and brought in an extraordinary amount of abundance during the lockdown.

Just like that. I adapted to change.

Many yoga teachers were in the same boat and many opted for perfectly curated videos with platforms to offer memberships, on demand payment and pay-for access type features. It seemed every week another platform was being marketed to sell your offerings. I never really wanted to “sell”, but rather I opted to give with an extended hand to receive, if that was in the heart of the giver. Maybe a naive business model and one I return to thinking about from time to time, but never can seem to switch to a “pay for my content” business model.

Just like that. I adapted to the change.

Once the world opened back up and my daughter was back to in-person day programming, I started to rethink how I would get my feet back into teaching yoga to those with neurological conditions and those living in settings that prohibit them from easily accessing yoga. I knew I didn’t want to be an online sensation and I felt I needed to be back serving my people. I do still love giving my YouTube channel a weekly recording because I have some amazing followers there and I love my studio classes, but the majority of my work is my specialized yoga in assisted living settings.

The spring that the world reopened, I sat in a coffee shop doing a quick google search of “residential programming for adults with brain injuries near me”. I watched in awe as a modest list popped up. I emailed six agencies and by the end of the day, I had six contracts to begin teaching in their residential homes.

Just like that. I adapted to change.

I started the two days a week commute with sometimes 250 miles of driving round trip. At first, I felt this kind of driving would be grueling and perhaps even too much. I saw that much driving as crazy and wondered how I would do it, especially in the big city of Denver that I did not really know. People questioned my rational at driving so much for a 40 minute yoga session that I charged only $55 for. I let the naysayers say what they wanted but I forged on. Within a really short time the “long” commutes turned into enjoyable drives and it turned out to be really no big deal. I quickly learned the routes and found joy in not having to use my GPS as I remembered the streets. And within a short time I added another day and 26 more homes to the commute week, toppling out at over 50 different homes and teaching over 65 classes per month while sometimes driving anywhere from 800-1000 miles per week.

Just like that. I adapted to the change.

Two weeks ago I had total hip replacement and once again was faced with having to adapt to some major changes, although these are likely temporary as I continue heal. Through the healing process however I am keenly aware at this concept of adapting. The first few nights sleeping with the horrific stabilizing wedge was grueling and painful, and now I *almost* look forward to the cozy feeling of being secured in place. I walk around my block and it feels like my usual 20,000 steps per day and I am good with it. I have swapped out my crazy schedule and cooking amazing meals at the end of the day for icing my hip, laying down to read midday and allowing others to serve me. My days have gone from 8-9 hours of work and commuting to studying sourdough recipes and how to up-level my busines for passive income. I have watched zillions of webinars, listened to podcasts, scoured Pinterest for recipes, and have done more jigsaw puzzles on my iPad than I’d like to admit. The days fly by and here I go again.

Just like that. I have adapted to change.

When I am healed up and back in action, there will again be a chance to adapt. Will I return to the same schedule? Will I shift slightly to be more accessible online to the masses? Will I go from being a single person serving hundreds of people in-person to becoming a trainer of sorts for others to learn the method? Will it perhaps be a combination of all of that while still choosing time for sourdough and soulful hobbies?

Just like that. I know that I will adapt to change.

How many times in your life have you adapted to what seems like extremely hard changes? Take inventory of just how amazing you are as you reflect on the process you have demonstrated in some of your major life hurdles.

And just like that, you too have adapted to change.

Sourdough Discard Crackers

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Ever since I shared some sourdough discard crackers over on my instagram I have had a zillion questions about them. If you haven’t jumped into the sourdough craze you are definitely missing out. I will admit that at first it seemed like a LOT of work and time, but it really isn’t. I mean how much time do we spend mindlessly scrolling when we could spend a tiny bit of time eliminating garbage from our diet and making something soulful and delicious?

Before I share the super simple cracker process, let’s chat about sourdough. Sourdough relies on a mix of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, rather than baker’s yeast, to leaven the dough. It’s richer in nutrients, less likely to spike your blood sugar, contains lower amounts of gluten, and is generally easier to digest than bread made with baker’s yeast.

WHAT??? Store bought bread has so many ingredients in it and most of them are useless ingredients that just add junk to our food. Homemade sourdough is flour, water, salt. Three ingredients compared to over twenty in a store bought version. Hmmm.

By using a special starter of wild yeast and bacteria, the positives of consuming sourdough far outweigh the negative ideas that we should be avoiding bread. Sourdough bread is a baking art form that is, by its very nature, a healthier choice – according to A Bread Affair in Vancouver here are the reasons why…and have to agree 100%.

The Benefits of Sourdough:

1. It is easy to digest.

The bacteria-yeast composition will start to breakdown the starches found in the grains before it even reaches your stomach. That means there is way less work to be done, making it much easier on your gut.

2. It has a lower glycemic index.

Compared to many other types of bread, sourdough is fermented in a way that depletes bad starches within it. This means that it won’t cause your blood sugar to rise so drastically upon eating it.

Our-Bread-3

3. Better for gluten-sensitivity.

The longer prep time for sourdough bread means that much of the protein gluten is broken down into amino acids before you consume it. The extensive soaking, rinsing, and other preparation steps means that it is easier to eat and digest, especially if you have mild sensitivities to gluten.

4. More “good acid”.

Lactobacillus a kind of bacteria found in sourdough bread more so than other types of bread and it results in higher levels of lactic acid. This is important because it means there is less room for phytic acid, which can be potentially dangerous. Larger quantities of lactic acid also result in easier digestion and accessibility to more minerals.

5. Provides healthy bacteria.

Sourdough bread is fermented in a way that fosters more beneficial bacteria in the bread and in your body when you eat it.

6. Less yeast.

Healthy bacteria in sourdough bread works to reduce yeast populations, so the likelihood of infection and/or overgrowth is substantially lower.

7. Natural origins.

Sourdough bread made with whole flour, wild yeast and bacteria comes from a very “natural” origin. It is the oldest form of leavened bread; we have been eating it as part of a natural diet for a long, long time.

Our-Bread-2

8. Fewer preservatives.

Sourdough bread contains acetic acid, which naturally prevent the growth of mold. It naturally preserves itself, meaning that toxic preservatives are not required to make it last. So it won’t go bad – and you can opt out of the hazardous build-up of preservatives in the food supply chain.

9. Good fuel.

Made from wheat, sourdough bread fuels the production of good bacteria in your gut – much like the inulin and oligosaccharides found in onions, leeks, bananas, garlic, asparagus, and so on.

10. It’s nutritious.

Sourdough contains a variety of vitamins and nutrients, making it super beneficial to your day-to-day health. Sourdough bread has small to moderate amounts of: iron, manganese, calcium, B1-B6, B12, folate, zinc, potassium, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, selenium, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamin E. What a great selection! Compared to other breads, sourdough maintains many of the original nutrients that are processed out of other kinds of bread.

11. The taste!

Sourdough bread tastes great on top of being a healthier alternative. What more could you want?

Crackers?? You got it! I also use sourdough to make all kinds of fun things like pizza dough, pancakes, cookies and this weekend I am making English muffins!

First, you’ll need some sourdough “starter”. This consists of flour and water that becomes the base for your bread and other baked goods.

Simply put: a sourdough starter is a live fermented culture of fresh flour and water. Once combined, the culture will begin to ferment and cultivate the natural yeasts found in our environment. A small portion is added to your bread dough to make it rise. Commercial yeast IS NOT required.

The Process of Sourdough:

At first I felt overwhelmed with having to “feed” something and initially wondered if I had a new child to worry about but realized I was way over thinking it.There are some sourdough people out there that measure everything to to the gram and while that does produce a perfect loaf, after awhile you do learn to eyeball things, especially feeding the starter. I usually just pour some out into my discard jar and add 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 cup water and call it good for the week. The day before I bake bread I do feed her a twice so she is extra happy.

For crackers, cookies, muffins, pizza dough and so much more you’ll need some of the “discard”.

Sourdough discard is the unfed portion of your sourdough starter that you remove before you add fresh flour and water. Because of its unfed state, it’s not used to bake the delicious bread you know as sourdough, but more often than not, used in sourdough discard recipes like crackers!

There are a zillion recipes out there but after a few times following one you might learn to wing it like me.

Sourdough Discard Crackers

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • In a small mixing bowl add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil or melted butter. To this add seasonings you love. I have been adding Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute which is a smooth blend of onion, black pepper, celery seed, cayenne pepper, parsley, basil, marjoram, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, savory, rosemary, cumin, mustard, coriander, garlic, carrot, orange peel, tomato, lemon juice and lemon oil. The perfect savory flavor!
  • After combing the seasonings and oil, add 2 cups of sourdough discard and mix well.
  • Sprinkle Himalayan Pink Salt on top
  • Pour mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
  • Bake for 10 minutes and then score into bite size squares with a pizza wheel
  • Bake an additional 20-30 minutes or until crispy and golden brown
  • I store these once cooled in a sealed container or jar (if they last that long)

Other combinations can be adding parmesan cheese and rosemary or making an Italian herb blend flavor. Some people love the everything bagel flavor but I find smelling like garlic for days to be a slight downside. I saw someone also make cinnamon sugar crackers that were cut slightly smaller for a cereal type snack! What?

You might be able to see how this can easily become a part time obsession and finding new ways to use the discard is constantly fun.

Try these and let me know what you think!

Stacie believes that it is her life purpose to share the gift of Yoga with anyone who is willing to say yes. In addition to raising a family and being an advocate for those with disabilities, Stacie is founder of Embracing Spirit Yoga which specializes in bringing adaptive Yoga into community centers and rehabilitation clinics. Bringing her depth of compassion to the mat–or the chair–she offers students the opportunity to grow as an individual in all aspects of their life.

With over sixteen years experience, Stacie Wyatt is an experienced 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Certified Trauma Informed Coach, Life Wellness Coach, Senior YogaFit Instructor, Mind/Body Personal trainer, Stress Reduction and Meditation Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and Barre Instructor. Stacie is also certified in Integrative Movement Therapy™and is also a believer in the power and application of essential oils for health and wellness and proudly shares doTERRA essential oils.

Stacie brings her personal life experience of raising a daughter with a disability and over 12 years working in special education to her everyday Yoga classes.

Anticipating

/ embracingspirit / 2 Comments

I thought I had it all figured out when it came to anticipating changes and challenges. I was an old pro at anticipation what I might need to be successful.

I chose the word vulnerability for 2023 and I thought I was done with being exposed emotionally, having to ask for help and all that other stuff that is so hard for me. I had learned to anticipate what I might need but also I got good at asking for help. At least I thought so. Oh, how I was ever wrong. I left 2023 feeling pretty good about my progress in learning to be a little more exposed and willing to ask and receive help. Little did I know that it was all just practice for the BIG time vulnerability.

For 2024, I opted to work on being okay regardless of what was going on. To be neutral in the midst of chaos. To not waver when life gets challenging. To practice equanimity. I think the two years intentions are overlapping a bit and I am really having to lean into both simultaneously.

One week ago I had total hip replacement. I opted to go into the process solo knowing that I would be required to have a lot of help at home. I arrived at the hospital and stayed three days focusing on learning to transfer myself in and out of bed, walk with a walker and navigate stairs. I felt pretty confident going home that I had myself ready. I had prepared my house for time spent mostly on one level that has a bathroom and space for me to relax, ice and heal. I had snacks, books, pillows and all the things I felt I would need to limit the constant asking people to get things. I thought I was set.

In many ways I was and am set. Having done seven orthopedic surgeries in seven years prior to this one, I felt fairly confident in my ability to navigate pain, crutches and living in a tri-level house.

I had lots of things however that I did not anticipate. You can read all the articles on what to expect but until you are in it, there really isn’t a true frame of reference. And I will say again, hearing that 80 year olds have this procedure all the time and do great is so not helpful. Part of the gift of living a Yoga lifestyle is learning to truly practice not comparing yourself to anyone, including the 80 year olds that have been sedentary and usually already dependent on others and who will continue to be sedentary and dependent on others. Not the super active, busy changing lives, walking machine like me.

Anticipation is a great thing, until you miss a few things.

What I didn’t anticipate was the fracture in my femur that occurred during installation of my new hip joint. This meant my weight bearing status would be different and the need for that to heal, along with my new hip, would be harder and slower. Adding in the greatest fear ever of dislocation that can occur with one wrong move, I am on hyper alert when it comes to movement.

I also didn’t anticipate the helplessness that would come with the precautions of a total hip replacement. No bending or sitting part a 90 degree bend, no crossing the legs, no twisting the leg or hip internally. So that mean pulling up your pants, putting on socks, shaving your legs, reaching for a blanket, dropping your phone, scratching an itch, lifting your leg onto the bed, and so much more. For someone who gets it all done effortlessly this is an abrupt stop to my life. The simplest of things becomes an ordeal.

Then the WEDGE. The surgeon is very adamant about post-op precautions, especially with a fracture, and sleeping is the craziest thing ever. Between my legs is a large foam wedge that I have secured with four velcro straps to prevent any internal rotation. Then I have my blood clot prevention pumpers pushing air in and out around my legs all night. Add in the compression socks that are so tight.?All of this mean that I am basically on my back, secured into one position for the entire night. And this is a position that I cannot get into by myself.

Talk about vulnerability. Laying in bed while I am completely immobilized is the purest of vulnerability. What a great chance to sit with equanimity and be neutral in the midst of emotional and physical restraint. I jokingly say how awful it would be if a house fire occurred.

I also had no idea the volume of pain I would experience with this. I knew of course there would be pain but the deep, stabbing and burning pain around the joint is unreal. I think the fracture adds to the pain, and the fact that I declined heavy pain meds knowing that I would be able to somehow tolerate the pain with what I was already used to taking pre-surgery for pain. The swelling that has taken my once toned and slim leg back two decades when I weighed 80 pounds more is shocking. Looking down at my leg and seeing the size of my thigh is startling, but it is also temporary. I know this yet it is a vivid reminder of the past.

I know that this week has brought me so much in the form of grace and letting go. It has also invited me to receive like I have never received in my life.?I have a beautiful tribute of what reverence really is coming next.?

For now, I am icing, walking, resting, and working on allowing the vulnerability to flood my daily experience while also accepting the equanimity that brings a steadiness to me.

Why Sourdough?

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I am a tad late to the sourdough frenzy but now that I am all in, it’s been so fun. I have never been a big sandwich or bread eater so it’s more of a hobby than a homestead mission, though that could easily happen. My loaves may not be the perfection instagram bread making people get, but they taste delicious and work for my family.

Why bake/eat sourdough?

More digestive benefits than you could ever imagine! Here are my top 20!

  1. Prebiotics: Sourdough fermentation increases the availability of prebiotic fibers, which promote healthy gut bacteria and aid digestion.
  2. Reduced Gluten Content: Fermentation breaks down some gluten proteins, making them easier to digest for individuals with mild gluten sensitivities.
  3. Enzyme Activity: The fermentation process activates enzymes in the sourdough, which help break down complex carbohydrates and proteins, aiding digestion.
  4. Phytic Acid Reduction: Sourdough fermentation reduces phytic acid, a compound that can impair mineral absorption and cause digestive discomfort.
  5. Improved Nutrient Absorption: Sourdough fermentation enhances the body’s ability to absorb important nutrients like iron, zinc, and magnesium.
  6. Lower Glycemic Index: Sourdough bread has a lower glycemic index than regular bread, resulting in more stable blood sugar levels and sustained energy.
  7. Acetic Acid: The acetic acid produced during sourdough fermentation can improve digestion by supporting the production of digestive enzymes.
  8. Lactic Acid Production: Lactic acid produced in sourdough fermentation supports healthy gut bacteria and aids digestion.
  9. Alleviation of Digestive Disorders: Some individuals with digestive disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), report improved symptoms when consuming sourdough bread.
  10. Increased Mineral Bioavailability: Sourdough fermentation increases the bioavailability of minerals present in the bread, making them easier for the body to absorb and utilize.
  11. Reduced FODMAPs: The fermentation process of sourdough helps break down fermentable carbohydrates, reducing their presence in the final bread product and making it more tolerable for individuals with FODMAP sensitivities.
  12. Reduced Antinutrients: Sourdough fermentation reduces antinutrients like phytates and lectins, which can interfere with digestion and nutrient absorption.
  13. Balanced Acid-Base Ratio: Sourdough bread has a more balanced acid-base ratio, reducing the risk of acid reflux and indigestion.
  14. Improved B-vitamin Production: Sourdough fermentation increases the production of B-vitamins, which play a crucial role in digestion and overall health.
  15. Enhanced Flavor: The complex flavors developed during sourdough fermentation can stimulate the production of saliva and digestive enzymes, aiding digestion.
  16. Extended Fermentation: Longer fermentation times commonly used in sourdough baking allow more thorough breakdown of proteins and starches, making the bread easier to digest. 48 hours is optimal for cold retarding in the fridge.
  17. Natural Preservatives: Sourdough contains naturally occurring preservatives like acetic and lactic acids, which help prevent spoilage and promote digestive stability.
  18. Reduced Additives: Sourdough bread often uses fewer additives and preservatives compared to commercially produced bread, making it easier on the digestive system.
  19. Milder Wheat Allergy Symptoms: Some individuals with wheat allergies report milder symptoms when consuming sourdough bread due to the fermentation process altering the proteins.
  20. Personal Digestive Tolerance: While these reasons generally suggest that sourdough bread is easier to digest, individual tolerance can still vary based on specific digestive issues and personal sensitivity

Credit to Dr Dawn M. O’Brien Taylor

I have tried many sourdough recipes but have found this simple one to be my fave:

  • 100g of “starter” *tons of how to make out there. It takes patience or a friend who has a healthy starter.
  • 300g of all purpose flour
  • 500g water
  • 10g salt

I feed my little starter and wait for it to double (usually 3-4 hours). When it has I add it to the mixing bowl, add the water flour and salt, and mix with a danish wisk until shaggy or 30 minutes. Then every 30 minutes I stretch and fold the dough (this is where the magic happens). I do four sets of folds. Then I plop it back into the oven on the proofing setting for about 2-3 hours. If your oven doesn’t have that setting, place bowl on the counter covered up and it will take more like 5-6 hours of bulk proofing. Once it is doubled in size, then remove it from the bowl to a floured surface. Fold the dough like an envelope and then roll the entire envelope into a log shape, then to make it a circle begin dragging it along counter to seal the seams and create a perfect round. Toss into a banneton basket and close seam by pinching. Place into your refrigerator covered for up to 3 days! This method I have found in my busy life works the best because I can let it cold ferment in fridge until I am ready then bake. I usually mix on Friday and bake on Sunday.

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Valentine’s Love Blend

/ embracingspirit / 2 Comments

These make fantastic little valentine gifts for your loved ones as well as you. These are packed with powerful essential oils and rose quartz. Plus, I add a few rose petals for the pretty sake. Give, get and share other people in your life.??

Rose: Opens the heart chakra and allows you to feel unconditional love. Creates a sense of well-being and calmness while awakening your ability for self-compassion, nurturing, and love.

Lemon: Opens the heart chakra to self-love and self-nurturing. lightens while uplifting your spirit and bringing clarity into your life.

Neroli: A natural tranquilizer and regulator of the nervous system that opens the heart chakra, uplifts your spirit, and encourages confidence, joy, and peace.

Marjoram: Restores warmth, self-compassion, and self-nurturing when feeling lonely or isolated.

Lavender: Helps you to relax, let go of the stress, and release fear, which fosters connect with the heart center and opens you up to more love.

Jasmine: Uplifting and joyous oil that balances the emotional system, soothes anxiety, and helps with depression and apathy.

Geranium: This emotional healing oil restores confidence and trust in others. It can help to heal a broken heart and open one up to love.

Ylang Ylang: This is a powerful remedy for the heart and releasing trauma from the past. This oil helps to release bottled up emotions that weigh heavy on the heart which allows for a more playful, carefree, emotionally connected and loving experience of life.

Tranquility Blend (Serenity): Includes Lavender Flower, Cedarwood, Ho Wood Leaf, Ylang Ylang Flower, Marjoram Leaf, Roman Chamomile Flower, Vetiver Root, Vanilla Bean Absolute, Hawaiian Sandalwood. Encourages individuals to first reconnect with themselves and discover peace that lies within, and then to reconnect with the humanity in others. This brings a calm, tranquil, peaceful, relaxed, compassionate and connection person.

Rose quartz: Rose Quartz is the stone of universal love. It restores trust and harmony in relationships, encouraging unconditional love. Rose Quartz purifies and opens the heart at all levels to promote love, self-love, friendship, deep inner healing and feelings of peace. Calming and reassuring, it helps to comfort in times of grief. Rose Quartz dispels negativity.

Unconditional

Ready to get yours? Each of these special bottles contain a lot of very pricey essential oils. They smell amazing and I get compliments almost every day just how good I smell.

Buy Your Unconditional Blend Here

Stacie believes that it is her life purpose to share the gift of Yoga with anyone who is willing to say yes. In addition to raising a family and being an advocate for those with disabilities, Stacie is founder of Embracing Spirit Yoga which specializes in bringing adaptive Yoga into community centers and rehabilitation clinics. Bringing her depth of compassion to the mat–or the chair–she offers students the opportunity to grow as an individual in all aspects of their life.

With over sixteen years experience, Stacie Wyatt is an experienced 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, Certified Brain Injury Specialist, Certified Trauma Informed Coach, Life Wellness Coach, Senior YogaFit Instructor, Mind/Body Personal trainer, Stress Reduction and Meditation Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and Barre Instructor. Stacie is also certified in Integrative Movement Therapy™and is also a believer in the power and application of essential oils for health and wellness and proudly shares doTERRA essential oils.

Stacie brings her personal life experience of raising a daughter with a disability and over 12 years working in special education to her everyday Yoga classes.

An Old Pro

/ embracingspirit / Leave a comment

I am an old pro when it comes to crutches and my beautifully flawed hip that I was born with has done her job. Monday I say farewell to her and welcome a new hip joint. This will be my fourth hip surgery on my left hip and I am ready to be without pain.

My mindset is good and my peacefulness comes knowing that my surgeon is super skilled and compassionate.

I am grateful for all the love and support I have in my life. I am going to practice big time equanimity throughout this process and take what comes with grace and ease. I am also taking two months off of work to focus on me.

Remember what I need the most is an occasionally americano dropped at my door and plenty of good vibes. Stay tuned for some updates along the way and how I am using this time to heal and be super productive.

Disappointment

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“Disappointment is a stepping stone to resilience. It toughens you up and prepares you for the challenges that lie ahead.”

Michelle Obama

Disappointment is such a strange thing. In my mind I know that all disappointments lead to some sort of lesson or growth, if we can choose to look for it. It may be that we learn our own value, how to walk away, or even deep acceptance. Regardless of the lesson, it usually comes after experiencing some version of disappointment.

Most people already know of some pretty major disappointments that I’ve experienced in my life that have led me to greatness. I’ve taken one of the biggest disappointments in my life and turned it in to my purpose and my passion.

What a lot of people don’t know is that for over 20 years I have struggled with the disappointment of my body. I have sat in pain management clinics for that duration trying spinal injections, varieties of medications, alternative methods, and eventually facing the pain with resiliency and movement. The disappointment fueled me to be stronger and stronger. It guided me to places I didn’t know I had in me. I faced the disappointment of many diagnosis with the fire to fight back.

The early weeks of January 2016 I experienced a new pain. A horrific pain. Within a few weeks I learned I had torn tissue in my hip. Three surgeries over the course of 18 months, and once again I am ten days away from yet another hip surgery.

I have needed this surgery for over a year but put it off last February because the timing wasn’t right. It’s right now.

In my preparation to get my body at its best form and fullest strength going into this big one, I have been consistently strength training five times a week for over two years. I have refined my muscles and gained strength and confidence.

But, disappointment shows up again.

The familiar pain that grinds deeps into the lower back. The pain that prevents movement. The pain that makes my breath short and shallow. The pain that has brought me to the hospital twice unable to move in the past. The pain that makes my world shatter.

Not now. It can’t be now. I need to be strong. I need to be healthy. I need to not hurt this much.

I need my back to settle down so I’m strong for my new hip. I need this disappointment to move along.

Or, is this disappointment inviting more resilience than I knew I had? Is it showing me what I have in me to face the challenge?

Maybe it’s both. I need to not hurt like this AND I need to be reminded of my strength and ability to overcome.

Sourdough Croutons

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Since I am a newer sourdough fanatic I have quite a bit of extra sourdough. Honestly I try not to eat the whole loaf in a couple days so I usually have a quarter of loaf hanging around and found the perfect use of stale sourdough.. CROUTONS!

I love adding these to salad or soup! They are so easy and so good!

INGREDIENTS

  • 6-8 cups cubed sourdough bread (at least one day old, or sliced and dried; ¾-1 inch cubes)
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced 
  • ½ – 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Preheat your oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. If you haven’t already, cut your sourdough bread into ½-1″ cubes. 
  3. Add the olive oil, garlic, salt, dried parsley, and black pepper to a very large bowl. Whisk to combine.
  4. Add the cubed dried bread cubes and toss them until they are lightly coated with oil.
  5. Spread the sourdough bread cubes out onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. 
  6. Bake until browned, 12-18 minutes (mine were done at 15), tossing halfway through baking to ensure even browning. 
  7. Allow your sourdough croutons to cool completely before transferring to an airtight storage container or ziploc bag. 

Seriously the best!

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