ERIN GALVIN
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The Blog

The Three Facets of Health

10/5/2016

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For decades I focused on a number on the scale and a clothing size as a benchmark for my health, well-being, and self-worth. I exercised obsessively, constantly raising the bar of what I would do to challenge my body and to achieve an ideal physique. I tried nearly every diet and weight loss technique under the sun – fat free, slim fast, Weight Watchers, raw food, and starvation to name a few - hoping that one of these was the perfect way for me to reach and maintain the weight that I thought was acceptable and attractive. Once I achieved that magic number on the scale or on the desired clothing size, I would then feel good, be confident, and love myself…or so I hoped.

Unfortunately, that was not the case. No matter what I weighed, there was always a sense that I had to do more, lose more, be more. The goal wasn’t the perfect dress size, it was the pursuit of perfection.

My obsession with food and dieting evolved into a love for food and nutrition through the study of nutrition science, through the study of naturopathy and embracing the theory that the body’s natural state is in balance and it is constantly seeking to achieve that, and through life lessons in self-compassion and soul nourishment.

For me, health has 3 fundamental facets:

1) Whole foods and herbs

This is not a weight loss fad.  Eating whole foods is eating foods that are in their natural state – whole grains, fruit and vegetables, organic meats and free range eggs. A whole foods rich diet focuses on nourishment and not calories. It means you connect with the pleasure of cooking and use foods that are in season. Whole foods also means that you listen to what your body needs whether it’s having a hearty salad for lunch or needing to enjoy, without shame or guilt, a slice of cake at your friend’s birthday celebration. It is about balance, variety, and moderation. Whole foods are the foundation for health. Herbs are incorporated as seasoning to bring out the flavor and healing properties of your food. Herbs also support healing as teas and tinctures.  

2) Self-Compassion and Body Love
Self-compassion is necessary for finding true health. This became very true for me when I was training for a half marathon a few years ago. In the middle of a long run, I was stopped in my tracks by intense back pain that shot down my legs. This pain went on for months. I couldn’t sit at work. I couldn’t walk to the subway without pain and I stopped exercising. I went from chiropractor to osteopath trying to find a solution. The chronic pain, the inability to exercise, the feeling of being let down by my body left me feeling depressed and hopeless. These feelings also magnified my body image issues and I felt at odds with my body. Finally, an osteopath recommended that I get an MRI.  This was when a large ovarian cyst was discovered. Once the cyst was removed, I was able to begin recovery and healing.  
Through this experience, I learned to be more compassionate towards my body and listen to the messages my body whispers or screams to me. There were signs and symptoms of hormonal imbalances that were presenting themselves for years before the back pain manifested. However, I chose to ignore them and push through. Ultimately, my body, not so subtly, drew my attention to the need to slow down and to start taking proper care of myself. After the surgery, I re-evaluated what a healthy life looked like for me. I stopped punishing my body with exercise and impossible expectations about my weight. I connected with what movement felt good and made me feel strong. I stopped criticizing ever flaw in my figure and I thanked my body for its ability to heal and to endure what I put it through. I connected to my menstrual cycle and my hormones and I found ways to improve my PMS and PCOS naturally with nutrition and herbs.


3) Mindfulness
The image that comes to mind when speaking of mindfulness is a person sitting in the lotus position meditating. However, mindfulness can also mean being fully aware of your current feelings and thoughts and how they impact your present state or activity. Mindfulness allows you to be present and engaged in what you are doing whether it is working on a project, spending time with a loved one, or doing the dishes. When it comes to health, mindful eating is important to improve digestion, encourage moderation, and heal disordered eating. Being mindful of emotions is another way in which mindfulness relates to health. When we are mindful and aware of our emotions, we can sit with them and process them in a healthy way, rather than repress or internalize them. Repression and internalization of emotions contribute to eating disorders, stress related illness, hormone imbalances, fatigue, anxiety, and struggles with self-worth. When I start to feel anxious about something, I use a practice that begins with a pause. I close my eyes and I ask myself, “What is it that I am really feeling? What am I upset about or worrying about?” When I take this time to pause and explore my feelings, rather than trying to ignore them and push through, I permit myself to feel the emotion in the moment and I look for a healthy way of processing at that time.

These three facets of health – wholefoods and herbs, self-compassion and body love, and mindfulness - are the keys to balanced health and a way for you to explore what works for you as a unique, whole person. Each is a daily practice, not a protocol for perfection.

Over to you: What are ways you have transformed your relationship with food and your body? What are mindfulness practices that you use in your day? Leave your comments below.
 

 Peace and Body Love, 
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Go with the Flow - Connect to your cycle to improve productivity and energy

8/22/2016

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For 16 days, many of us were captivated by the Rio Olympics, an event that showcased the best of the best with elite athletes competing against each other for medals and international status. Not to mention that the US women cleaned up! The Rio Olympics also was a stage on which gender issues and inequalities were highlighted. One taboo topic that became a buzz around the internet was menstruation and sports, due to a candid interview with Chinese backstroke swimmer Fu Yuanhui. Upon finishing a race, Fu Yuanhui openly stated that she had her period and was feeling “pretty weak and really tired.” What was so poignant is that she did not use her period as an excuse for not performing up to her standards of excellence. She simply reminded us that a woman’s period can be a time of discomfort and lower energy levels and addressed these shifts in energy openly and matter-of-factly rather than buying into the cultural stigma attached to menstruation. Women are still fighting for equality in pay, respect, and recognition in the workforce and in sports, so it’s not uncommon for us to put on a brave face and push through the pain of our periods in order to avoid judgement or ridicule that suggests we are “weak” or making “excuses.”

In a previous post, I spoke about how women go through life phases of introspection, creative action, and mastery and how a shift in perception can allow a woman to fully embrace each stage. Similarly, there can be another approach to women’s menstrual cycle - a way in which women can connect to their cycles (rather than power through their cycles) while managing demands and expectations in their lives based on the ebbs and flows of their energy levels. Let’s acknowledge that some commitments and requirements cannot be avoided or rescheduled; we live in busy times and are required to show up 100% for work, family, and if applicable, athletic events. But perhaps we can view scheduling more like a morning person or a night owl plans her daily activities, to best fit her most productive hours during the day. Like the early riser who gets a better work-out in the morning or the night owl who brainstorms solutions best in the middle of the night, women could connect to their bodies and flow with the natural changes in energy and focus throughout the course of a month and experience that feeling of being productive and grounded.

Scheduling work, family and social activities according to our monthly cycles might look something like this:
Menstruation: A woman may feel lower energy levels and a bit more reflective, introspective, and in need of down time. This probably would not be the best time to book loads of meetings or give a huge presentation. It would, however, be an optimal time for progress reviews, strategic planning, research, and rest days or lower impact cross training for athletes.

Follicular Phase - Ovulation (around day 5 – 15): A woman’s energy levels increase as does her desire to be more social. This may be a good time for starting new projects, giving presentations, holding brainstorming sessions, participating in networking events, and engaging in high intensity workouts.

Luteal Phase (around day 16 – 28): A woman’s energy may start to gradually lower and physical activity may feel more strenuous. During this time women may benefit from balanced rest and engagement, incorporating a self-care practice, and focusing on endurance type workouts.

This perspective is by no means stating that women cannot function at high levels of productivity and efficiency throughout their entire cycle, after all, we’ve been doing it for years! However, it is a suggestion that we, as women, may be able to function at an even higher level of success and vibrancy if we listen to our bodies and utilize our energy ebbs and flows to our benefit when engaging with our work, our family and friends, and our athletic training schedules. Can you just imagine the possibilities!?    
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Over to you – Have you found that your energy and focus changes throughout your menstrual cycle? If so, how do you thrive in each phase? Share your thoughts and experiences below. 

To ebbs and flows,
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One Woman - Three Goddesses

7/11/2016

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The symbol of the Triple Goddess has been used throughout history and in myths to represent the three distinct phases of womanhood – Maiden, Mother, and Crone. When we think of these phases, we primarily think about the physical changes that occur, particularly relating to hormones – puberty, fertility and pregnancy, and menopause. However, these stages of womanhood also represent emotional, psychological, social and spiritual transformations. 

The Maiden is on a journey from puberty to young woman. She is defining herself and how she relates to the world, who she is in relationships, and what her passions are. She is seeking her purpose and her identity. The Maiden focuses on her external world and where she fits into it. During this period, the Maiden may have erratic menstrual cycles, as her hormones sync and begin to regulate. She may even experience early signs of imbalances such as painful periods, PMS, and difficulty managing weight. At this point, the immediate treatment may be the oral contraceptive pill (OCP), which suppresses hormones and ovulation.  

The Mother embodies nurturing, care-giving, and creativity. She may be caring for a family, developing a career, or creating a business or art project. The Mother's focus is outward - caring for the welfare of family, being in service to the community, finding mediums for expression and creativity, or building careers and businesses. These are fertile times for having children and birthing projects. During this phase, the Mother’s menstrual cycles should be regular each month. Cycle irregularities or struggles with fertility can be associated with hormone imbalances relating to increased stress levels, poor detoxification, nutrient deficiencies, Endometriosis, PCOS or withdrawal from the OCP. As the Mother evolves towards the Crone stage, her hormones may go through a transitional phase called perimenopause. Perimenopausal symptoms can be similar to those associated with menopause as the ovaries’ estrogen production begins to slow.

The Crone exemplifies wisdom, mastery and leadership. This can be a period of introspection when women step out of a roll as caregiver and reconnect with personal passions. The Crone can be the matriarch in a family, community, or organization. Her skills and experience are valuable as a leader or mentor. With this shift may come an urge to take action, assertiveness, or a stronger sense of confidence. The Crone experiences menopause, or the cessation of her menstrual cycle. Menopause is not a disease or a shameful event; it is natural and, historically, it was celebrated as a transition into the role of matriarch.

Each of these phases of womanhood are essential for transformation and development. A beautiful perspective is that even though each physical stage is distinct, women can experience the emotional and spiritual transformations simultaneously. For example, a menopausal woman may find herself experiencing the self-exploration of the Maiden, seeking to reconnect with her true self and redefining her place in the world as her responsibilities and vision for her life change. The Maiden may tap into the creativity of the Mother as she  attempts to make a living through artistic endeavors.

This is the magic of the Triple Goddess. The physical transitions between the Goddess phases can be clearly defined by hormonal and changes in the body. However, one woman can simultaneously embody the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone, emotionally, psychologically, socially and spiritually. As we traverse phases of our life, we also move through cycles each month and each year.  Each seasonal transition can symbolize the relationship between the Triple Goddesses and result in powerful growth and transformation.


Back to you - What Goddess do you embody right now? What transitions or transformations are you experiencing?  Leave your comments below.

Embrace the goddess!
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    Erin is dedicated to supporting women to balance their hormones, to feel at home in their bodies, and to feel vibrant at each stage of their lives.

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  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • MISSION
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    • WOMEN'S HEALTH PACKAGE
    • PREGNANCY LOSS POSTPARTUM
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  • PRAISE
  • SHOP
    • SKINCARE & BODY
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  • CONNECT