Stepping into your "Right-Brain"

I recently re-watched Jill Bolte Taylor's TED talk. She's a neurology researcher who suffered a stroke and relives the experience for her audience, describing the sensations and thoughts she encountered at the time. I'm in tears every time I reach the end of her talk. Not just because she went through something so terrifying, but because of the message she leaves you with.

Having done a decade of post-secondary education, I'm what my family considered a "permanent student". Even now, I continue to research, to learn, to catalogue information. I use the left-side of my brain most often; calculating and analyzing journal articles and new research.

Jill, a fellow scientist, brought up an interesting point: We all have a choice of which reality we want to live in at any given moment; You can live in the analytical "Left side" - which is great while at work or when trying to figure out something, but you can also step into the "Right Side" of the brain and be connected to the world at any given moment.

What is the "right side" of the brain? 
It's the "creativity" side. Working puzzles, learning a new skill, exploring your imagination, writing, dancing, painting, drawing, colouring.

Why is this important? I think we need to access that side more often in our world. I was listening to an old podcast of comedian Bryan Callen where he mentioned the incredible fact that he gets paid to use his imagination. How many of us can say that? So why not?

Do something each day to access that side of your brain. Maybe that's another reason why adult colouring books are so popular. We now have another way of using the right-side of our brains. For adults, this isn't always easy. We have responsibilities, work, bills to pay. But life isn't just about working to make money, to pay bills and save up for retirement. It's about experiencing the world around us. Don't ever forget to connect with nature, connect with creativity - no matter what that means for you. You might think you're terrible at drawing. Maybe you actually hate colouring, but there is always another activity that you can do. Remember that this is just for you. No one will judge you. And make sure to do something that you enjoy.

Maybe that's what stops many of us from exploring our creativity: the fear of being judged. I have an entire folder on my computer of stories and novels that I've started and most I've never finished. Sometimes a girl just has to write out a chapter or two to get it off her chest. I don't expect anyone else to read it. Once every year I'll go back to it, and I can remember what it was like writing it. I take a little pride in it. And then I'll go start something new.

Things to keep in mind:

• No one needs to see it but you. Keep a portfolio, sketches of something, or nothing. Pick up some paint and a canvas from the dollar store and just fill the space. Make a mess, or put it up on your wall. It doesn't matter. You're doing it for you, no one else. 
• Dance when no one is watching. Swing your arms wildly, spin in circles - just try not to run into furniture! Or download Carmen Electra's striptease aerobics, Zumba or any other video that will teach you choreography step-by-step.
• Sing when no one is listening. My favourite is in the bathtub... you get the best acoustics. 
• Journalling and diary keeping doesn't have to be like it was in grade school. Make lists. maybe they're to-do lists, or "favourite" lists, or something more creative. Need some inspiration? Check out the List App (one of BJ Novac's projects) - other examples:
• best books that made me laugh out loud
• Most bad-ass movie quotes
• Things I say to myself out loud when I'm alone
• Favourite nostalgic moments from the 90's
• best "pump you up" music videos 
• Most impressive or surprising sports moments of the week (apparently the Bronco's had a crazy game last weekend... so document it!)

The point is, we all need time to disconnect from our "analytical" sides and step into our "right-brain" at some point. It keeps us going and nurtures the soul. Use your imagination - it might surprise you :)

Power snack muffins!

I've had a request to post this recipe for a good "portable" snack that's full of nutrients (vegetables and nuts and healthy fats). It's a great snack for on-the-go as well as a post-workout boost when you've just depleted your energies.

Today was one of those amazing fall days, perfect for running in shorts. The trails that I run on were ridiculously busy today and I usually get super annoyed with people who take up the whole entire path and who ignore my running footsteps, but today I saw it as a pretty awesome obstacle course.

I was zipping past people like my legs just couldn't be stopped. What? There's a mountain up ahead? That's not going to stop me. Watch me run up it while you leisurely stroll along with your entire extended family and your individual walking sticks. Today I was unstoppable. I got to the top of that hill and just kept going. It's days like this that give me the motivation to run as often as my legs will let me.

I think we all need that. That success of working out and feeling amazing afterwards. It doesn't matter what you do to get that feeling. Maybe you get it after an hour of hot yoga when you're laying on your mat at the very end of class; All sweaty and your muscles are buzzing with happy vibes. Find it. Find that happy post-workout bliss and remember it!

Now after you have that amazing blissful feeling, it's time to recharge and give back to those muscles that just worked so hard for you. Here's my post-workout portable snack, full of deliciousness.

Veggie power paleo muffins

Makes 6 muffins (for 12 muffins, double all ingredients, but use 3 extra large eggs instead of 2 large ones)

1 1/4 cup almond flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup grated carrots (peeled)
1 large apple, peeled, cored and grated (OR substitute for 1/2 cup diced strawberries)
2 large eggs
1 tbsp honey
1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or avocado oil)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Optional: 1 scoop protein powder - add a splash of almond milk to the mix to make up for the extra powder/dry ingredient

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a muffin pan with muffin cups.
In a large mixing bowl, combine almond flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
Add zucchini, carrot, apple/strawberries and combine well.
In a small mixing bowl whisk together the oil, eggs, honey and vanilla.
Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well.
Spoon into muffin cups (right to the top) and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. The tops will be nice and toasted brown.
Remove from pan and let cool.

The muffins can be stored in the fridge (the muffin cups peel off nicer when they're kept in the fridge, but the muffins themselves stay softer and more moist at room temperature).

As pictured, I like cutting them in half or thirds and smearing almond butter on top. Delicious!!

Making changes part 3 - Say Yes to Love

In saying yes to love, I'm referring to love in all respects:

1) Love yourself,
2) Accept love from others, and
3) Fall in love with the universe

The first two are probably the hardest. Loving yourself goes hand-in-hand with finding joy in your life and wanting to take care of yourself. If you're having a difficult time with this one it's probably time to look a little deeper.

I read an interesting article on how childhood experiences and traumas can lead to chronic illness. This might bring up a lot for you, but if you can't find a way to love yourself, then that marks a great opportunity to talk to someone (a friend or family member and especially a health care professional, such as naturopathic doctor/intern). Discussing any issues with someone on the "outside" is a great way to get a different perspective and to find the barriers that are preventing you from loving and growing.

Being able to accept love from others also falls under this category. Like a protective wall that isolates you, the guard is up and maybe it's time to explore just what that wall is actually doing for you. Ask what you are protecting yourself from. What feelings come up? Again, this is all best to talk through with a professional who can guide you through this journey.

How amazing is it that these lions are spooning?!

Keep in mind that this isn't magic and that changes take time, but I commend anyone who goes out and seeks help - even if it's just to talk things out. I've been lucky enough in my life to have that support system through my own naturopathic interns at the college as well as from our amazing student counselor. I'm pretty sure I would have gone crazy had I not had an outlet to get my thoughts and feelings out.

Fall in love with the universe:
I hate Toronto. I can't wait until the day that I can get out of this city. Away from the GTA, away from the 401 highway... I just can't stand big city life. But all of that aside, if someone were to drape a blanket over the whole city... if all the lights were extinguished and the sounds were silenced, you'd be left with a section of the planet, and you'd be able to see the sky and space above you.

Every so often, take a moment to appreciate our world. Seriously be grateful for all that we have. Be thankful for the stars, for the moon, for the way the sky lights up in pinks and purples while the sun sets. Be thankful for great bodies of freshwater. Appreciate all of the species that live in that water and for the circle of life that keeps all of those species procreating over decades. Fall in love with fresh farmed vegetables and appreciate farmers who properly take care of their animals, letting them graze in pasture and who decline to inject them with growth hormones and other fake atrocities.

Lastly, let me leave you with this: It's funny how we always turn to talking about the weather. It's a classic small-talk conversation, but maybe that's a reason for it. How amazing is it that our weather can be different every single day and we really don't have any control over it (not including global warming, but just in general). There's no button you can press that can stop the wind from blowing, or a rope you can pull to make the sun "stay in the sky" longer. If it starts raining... you're screwed. Or maybe you'll take a moment to have that perfect kiss in the rain.


The world is always better when it is filled with love and appreciation.

Going Braless

I love Thursdays. Thursdays are my day off of clinic and it brings me so much joy to not wear clinic clothes. Especially with the heat wave we've had... dress pants and white lab coats are totally counter-productive when it comes to letting my body breathe.

I've always been the type of person to love comfy clothes. I love coming home, putting on pajamas, or wearing track pants all winter long. But new trend I've started with myself is going braless. I call it "Braless Thursdays".

I almost forgot what it was like to not have an underwire constantly nestled under my boobs... to not have straps on my shoulders all day long. Leaning back on a chair or couch and all I feel is my back - not the clasp digging into my spine.

Then there's the sports bra. I wear one at some point almost every single day when I workout. And it's not just any sports bra, but the most heavy-duty Lululemon bra that straps down the girls better than duct tape could. Like a tight elastic that holds them so close to my body that sometimes I'm afraid they'll disappear into my chest cavity. But it sure does hold up to the bounce test!

Sometimes the girls just have to breathe and so I have given them that freedom. It's not for attention, or to seem overtly sexual in public, but more for just comfort and to remove the restriction that's there the other 6 days of the week.

You could say I'm still "young and perky" and with my breast reduction, no longer have all of that extra weight pulling down from my chest, pulling at my shoulders and back. So I'm lucky in that respect.

I think we're all entitled to our braless days -without any judgement. And if you do stare at me in public, the thought in my head is that you're sad that your bra is clasped tight around you and mine is left in a drawer at home.

There's no bra-burning party about to happen, but maybe a good ol' fashion high five for comfort!

The island of misfit toys

I've been away for a while, but I blame it on life. It gets in the way of everything. I've had to move out of my townhouse into a new place, which wasn't quite ready for new people, so most of my stuff is stored in a garage and shoved up against the walls of the living room and kitchen.

Looking at my thighs/legs, you could easily mistake me for a leopard with all the bruises I have from moving furniture. And I swear you could actually see the clouds of pollen in the air around the trailer that we were loading up. I'm pretty sure my white lounge chair has turned a weird shade of yellow from being coated in tree pollen. I believe it's also partially responsible for me getting sick for 36 hours (the pollen, not the chair).

Then I had to help a friend move after clinic one day and I didn't have any non-clinic clothes, so she gave me a pair of her shorts to wear with my dress shoes - And honestly, I felt like a wizard in Muggle clothing. It was ridiculous and comfortable (because it was sooo hot outside and shorts are nice and breezy), but with dress shoes, white Adidas shorts and the undershirt I had on under my blouse, I had an Arthur Weasley moment and could not stop giggling on the inside.

So all in all, it's been a ridiculous week, especially since the LA Kings have been wetting the bed for the past two games... and I wouldn't normally care about mundane things like a hockey game, except for the fact that I made a real come back in Round 2 of my hockey pool, and winning $100 (or even just my $10 entrance fee back) would really make me so happy that I would probably cry... and try to build my own Stanley Cup in memory of this occasion. Except I would have to call it the Sarah Cup.... and fill it with wine. - If I win, I promise to do this and send you all the photographic evidence. I love arts and crafts.

But the point of today's post is simply: Does anyone else ever feel like they should be cast away with people like me on an island of misfit toys?

Sometimes I feel like the most un-normal person in the world. I guess that's a good thing. I would hate to be just like everyone else. I like being quirky and different. Wearing leg warmers in the winter; cranking up the volume when I hear a George Michael or Wham song in the car; going from normal to floupy in 0.2 seconds. I'm the girl who asks for honey and almond milk in her coffee... and because of which, always gets really weird looks at Starbucks. I wear slippers in the summer, and I make sad kitten noises when I'm sad or upset about something - true story.

When I think about it, why would anyone want to be normal when it's so much fun to be different?

Seriously. I mean, I'm totally on board with work dress codes and acting appropriately in the workplace. And I know I should be representing my profession outside of school/clinic, but I can't change who I am. A school advisor told me that my website is great but I had to get rid of my stories and my Arbonne stuff and make it more about the profession and the school. I just couldn't bear to argue with her, but there's no way I'd change it. Same with this blog.

Many classmates of mine have incredible blogs that cover more naturopathic topics, but really, I need to keep my sanity and writing is my avenue. I still hope to finish some of the fictional novels I've started, but until then, pouring my heart out on the internet to dozens of countries is the best thing I have. So I might not be the greatest businessy person, but I'm a happy kitten on the Island of Misfit toys, and I'd much rather just be myself than hide all of my fun quirks and creativity.

I also recommend dressing up like a wizard in Muggle clothing. And then go out in public.

Week of "Awesome"

One of my favourite books is The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha. After having read it I've come to appreciate the little things even more. Over the past week during an amazing vacation, here are my top "awesome" moments:

1) Jumping into the perfect wave. I love big waves not far from shore. Some are too high with their white caps, and you basically have to dive under them or you'll be swept along their path. But if you're lucky, you get the most perfect high wave, just high enough to barely jump over; your feet lift from the sandy bottom and you just ride over that wave - hopefully without having lost part of your bikini (which yes, happened quite a lot to me). Awesome.

2) Laying your beach towel on the sand and having it actually be comfortable. We were too cheap to rent beach lounge chairs and so we went old school and laid our towels on the sand. We're also very cleaver so we dug little ditches in the sand with headrests and made a "built-it" sand chair so we could lay comfortably and still see the ocean. Awesome.

3) The feeling of a cool/warm shower after a long day on the beach. On day 1 I came back from the room with seashells in my bikini. I seriously don't know how I brought them back with me, but my suit was full of sand and shells. Washing all the sand off and cooling my sun-bronzed skin... awesome.

4) When you're stuck with American change and actually get a chance to get rid of it at a toll booth. Awesome. Equally awesome: knowing I get to go back to my Canadian "monopoly" money and not having to worry about $1, $5, $10 and $20 bills all looking the exact same!

5) Biking 40km along the coast and feeling amazing afterwards. Our muscles may have been super warm and tired (actually I would say that my quads were burning and my butt was so effing sore from the bike seat), but biking along the ocean and coming back with a "runner's high" made it all worth it. Awesome.

6) When your flights are all on time. And they board early. And there is very little turbulance. And the screaming children are sitting nowhere near you. Awesome.

7) Getting upgraded on the plane to a seat with more leg room. Awesome

8) Remembering that you have "Finding Nemo" on your laptop and your plane has power outlets so you can watch your own movie during the flight. Awesome.

9) When you're trying to do a self-portrait photo of you and your boyfriend and someone walking by you just offers to take the photo for you. Thank you to the man at SailFish marina for taking some beautiful pics of us without me having to figure out where my finger needs to be to push the "camera" button... while trying not to cover the lens... and trying to make sure we're both in the shot... Awesome

10) Coming back to the room after a very long day out in the sun to the most incredible pillow-top (king-size) mattress with fluffy pillows!! and because it's so comfy, you have the most amazing sleep ever. Awesome. (Not awesome: getting back home to reality and realzing how terrible your real mattress is. And small. Any mattress is small compared to a King-size one. And my pillows aren't as fluffy...)

11) Going to bed and realizing that you didn't burn out in the sun at all! Yay sunscreen! Double awesome: you actually got an pretty nice tan and actually look like you were on vacation.

12) Finding out that the airport sells gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. And eating that delicious 200-calorie chewy cookie. And it's delicious. Awesome. 

I'm so grateful to have had the chance to go to Florida again this year with my Honey. It was a well-needed break and our next adventure (clinic) starts this week. Back to the real world!