HEALTH & WELLNESS

Written by Alex Beyers with Eating at Altitude

If you follow me on Instagram you’ve heard me use the term Clean Eating in conjunction with my Whole30 lifestyle. At this point in time, clean eating is somewhat of a buzz word and all too often we can get caught up in the glamour of new health trends. But here is why this health trend ACTUALLY makes sense: Clean Eating is simply a way to refer to choosing a diet that consists of primarily whole, fresh & minimally processed foods. It also refers to eating eco-friendly & sustainably sourced protein & dairy products.

In Basic Terms: Eating foods as close to their most natural state as possible.

But let’s make one thing clear. I’m not here to tell you that what foods are good or what foods you need to avoid entirely. This is about balance & the focus is around ADDING more nutrient – dense ingredients into your meals, and less attention on restricting other foods. I’m here to empower you & give you the basic knowledge you need to make simple changes into your existing routine.

Does Eating Clean mean I can never eat my favorite foods again?

Absolutely not. One reason it’s hard to maintain diets is we classify foods as good and bad, we restrict and take an all or nothing view point when approaching food. But this is about balance. We want to shift the focus from restriction and center our attention around ADDING more nutrient – dense ingredients into our meals. I’m just here to empower you by supplying you with the basic knowledge you need to make simple changes into your existing routine. Baby Steps.

Here are the basics when it comes to eating clean:

• Eating lots of vegetables and fruit.
• Eating quality protein & healthy fat foods.
• Limiting highly and ultra-processed foods.
• Making water your drink of choice. 

Not All Processed Foods are created equally

Just because a food is processed doesn’t mean that it’s the worst thing for you. When eating clean we are looking for MINIMALLY processed foods. The term minimally is important here because there are whole & health foods that go through processes in order to be shelf ready & stable.

So what is processed food? “Processed food” includes food that has been cooked, canned, frozen, packaged or changed in nutritional composition with fortifying, preserving or preparing in different ways.

Processed food falls on a spectrum from minimally to heavily processed:

• Minimally processed foods — such as bagged spinach, cut vegetables and roasted nuts — often are simply pre-prepped for convenience.
• Foods processed at their peak to lock in nutritional quality and freshness include canned tomatoes, frozen fruit and vegetables, and canned tuna.
• Foods with ingredients added for flavor and texture (sweeteners, spices, oils, colors and preservatives) include jarred pasta sauce, salad dressing, yogurt and cake mixes.
• Ready-to-eat foods — such as crackers, granola and deli meat — are more heavily processed.
• The most heavily processed foods often are pre-made meals including frozen pizza and microwaveable dinners.

What Ingredients should I avoid when trying to eat less processed foods?

A rule of thumb I like to play by is only buying processed foods with ingredients I recognize. By example, if a jar of marina has tomatoes, olive oil, garlic & basil. Those are all whole food ingredients, I might have in my own pantry. I tend to pass on buying food with an ingredient list full of words I don’t recognize, words I can’t pronounce or products with an ingredient list of 15 or more ingredients.

Hidden Added Sugars: Added Sugars are in so many of the products in the marketplace. I’ll share some sugar alternatives below but the below list calls out the multiple names we see sugar show up on labels as and many of these are highly processed.

• High Fructose Corn Syrup, Dextrose, Fructose, Maltodextrin, Sucrose, Sucralose, Glucose, Monosaccharide, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Stevia, Aspartame, Acesulfame-K, Disaccharide, and many more.

Does this mean you can never buy a package of Oreos ever again because it has 50+ ingredients including multiple added sugars? Absolutely not. Remember this is about helping you understand what is in the food you put in your body. It’s okay to eat Oreo’s when you feel like eating Oreo’s.

First thing to do when you want to start eating more whole foods:

It’s really easy to get overwhelmed when wanting to move towards a healthy lifestyle. And overwhelm usually doesn’t end well. So let’s talk about baby steps. You absolutely do not need to throw everything away in your pantry that doesn’t fall into the clean eating category. As ingredients run out, let’s start to swap them with their healthier counterparts (more about that below). Taking this baby step method will make the transition less expensive & less overwhelming!

Speaking of breaking the bank. With health trends on the rise, many grocery store chains are creating generic versions of the alternatives I’m about to share. The perk of this is generic brands typically sell for less! Costco has picked up lots of whole food alternatives. Thrive Market is another resource for purchasing discounted swaps.

Ready to get started? Let’s Swap this for That

If you are curious how to use the swap ingredients.

White Flour:

White flour is a refined carb, it has been stripped of almost all of it’s nutrients. For this reason it’s considered as empty calories with little nutrient value. When we eat foods with low nutrient value our brain & body don’t recognize that we are full as our nutrient/ fuel tanks have not been filled. This can cause us to overeat as our body still thinks we are hungry.

Try these instead:

• Whole Wheat Flour : Unlike White flour that is striped of nutrients, whole wheat flour is actually made by grinding the wheat kernel in it’s entirety into a flour. It’s a good source of protein, fiber, and a variety of vitamins and minerals
• 1:1 Gluten Free Flour : Typically made with rice flour. This acts as a 1:1 replacement for white flour.
• Other Gluten Free Alternative Flours: Cassava Flour, Coconut Flour, Almond Flour, Oat Flour Tapioca Flour: Gluten Free Flours offer additional health benefits such as protein, fiber vitamins & minerals. The one caveat is you cannot simply switch these out 1:1 with white flour in recipes as the makeup of these flours bake and cook differently. But They can almost always be swapped out 1:1 with one another.

Sugar

Sugar, in all forms, is a simple carbohydrate that the body converts into glucose and uses for energy. But the effect on the body and your overall health depends on the type of sugar you’re eating, either natural or refined. Refined sugar comes from sugar cane or sugar beets, which are processed to extract the sugar. The outcome is the list of hidden sugars I shared above. Refined sugars are broken down quickly by our bodies, causing our blood sugar to sky rocket. Usually followed by a crash. Natural sugars are the sugars found in fruits, vegetables, dairy, and honey. They contain the nutrients natural to the plant, which makes them a better alternative. 

• Maple Syrup : Maple syrup is an unexpected source of essential minerals, including calcium, zinc, magnesium and potassium
• Raw Honey : Honey contains a number of antioxidants
• Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar retains some of the nutrients found in the coconut palm, like minerals, iron, zinc, calcium, and potassium. It also contains a fiber called inulin, which can slow glucose absorption
• Non Cooking alternatives: While you might not keep these on hand, when reading labels these more natural forms of sugar are better choices than cane sugar: Monk Fruit, Agave Nectar, Date Syrup.

Cooking Oils

Canola & vegetable (corn, soy & palm) oils are common because they are affordable. For the most part, canola oil is highly refined & goes through an extreme chemical process to be made. It is also a rich source of omega-6 fats, which is correlated to to inflammation if heavily consumed.

• Avocado oil is rich in healthy fats, enhances the absorption of important nutrients, can reduce the symptoms of arthritis, reduces cholesterol, and improves heart health. 
• Olive oil is probably the best-known of the healthy alternatives to canola oil. Like avocado, it’s rich in healthy fats, plus it has large amounts of antioxidants and has strong anti-inflammatory properties. It protects against strokes and heart disease. 
• Coconut oil shares many of the properties of avocado and olive oils.
• Ghee – Great alternative for Butter when cooking, more about this in the dairy section.

Dairy

Dairy: When talking about dairy this includes milks, butter, butter, cheese, yogurt and any of your other favorite dairy products.

• If choosing dairy: Organic, whole milk dairy products have more healthy omega-3 fats than conventional dairy and when you’re buying organic, you can be sure no GMOs, antibiotics, or chemical pesticides were used in their production. On top of that, cows raised on organic farms have to pasture their cows for at least 120 days a year. Grass-Fed or Pasture Raised dairy is really great. You can read more about this below in the beef section.
• Alternative Milks: Try Oat Milk, Almond, Coconut or other nut milks like cashew or macadamia these all have added nutrients. one word of advise is to read your labels and make sure your not seeing a bunch of added sugar or other additives.
• Sheep or Goats: Cows milk & sheep/goats milk stack up fairly evenly. One reason you might choose one of these alternatives is that because of it’s profile, goat & sheeps milk is easier to digest.
• Ghee: While ghee and butter share similarities from a taste perspective, Ghee doesn’t contain lactose as the milk proteins have been removed.

Condiments & Sauces

Americans live on condiments. I’m guilty of loving a good dip, but our beloved store bought & mainstream condiments and sauces usually contain a large amount of sugar & not the natural kind. They are also commonly high in sodium & might contain other additives. But no biggie, I’ve got the swaps you’ve been looking for.

One thing to know when reading labels on any and all products at the grocery store. Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. This means the ingredient listed first on a food label occurs in the highest quantity in the product, and the ingredient listed last is the most minimal, so keep that in mind especially when a sugar based ingredient is listed first!

• Coconut Aminos: Coconut aminos is a gluten & soy free alternative to Soy Sauce. It’s also significantly lower in sodium than Soy sauce. If going soy free is not a concern, Tamari is a gluten free alternative to Soy as well.
• Ketchup & Mustard: Mustards are usually a fairly clean condiment on it’s own, but keep an eye out for sneaky sugars in honey mustard. Most popular brands (Kraft, Hunts, etc) of ketchup contain excessive added amounts of sugar – usually high fructose corn syrup.. There are great brands in the market now that are using reduced added sugar or dates and other forms of natural sugar. these brands include: Tessemaes, Primal kitchen, Annies, & Sir Kensingtons to name a few.
  For a homemade ketchup check out this recipe.
• BBQ & Buffalo Sauces: Check out brands like Franks Red Hot, TesseMae’s, The New Primal, Primal Kitchen, & Thrive Market. When looking at store bought sauces, remember the rule of thumb that less ingredients are better.
  For a homemade buffalo sauce check out this recipe.
• Dressings & Dips: Dressing, especially our beloved ranch or other creamy dressings typically have a dairy base with other additivities. Vinaigrettes are usually made with low quality oils when buying these from the grocery store. First, I have to say that Homeade dressing are VERY easy & can last up to 7 days in the fridge. I’ll link a few below. Store bought brands to keep an eye out for: Whole30, Tessemaes, Primal Kitchen, Annies, Sir Kensigntons.
  For a homemade ranch check out this recipe.
  For a homemade honey mustard check out this recipe.
  For a homemade creamy balsamic check out this recipe.
• Queso: To eliminate dairy from your diet, check out cashew based quesos. Trader Joes has one in the refrigerated section, The Honest Brand & Siete Foods are other alternatives.
• Salsa Like most foods on this list, salsas can be full of sneaky sugars. Check your labels for basic ingredients like: tomatoes, chiles, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, salt, onions, etc.
• Pasta Sauces: The basic point is that you want to look at the ingredient list on the jar, and know each and every ingredient as something you would/could purchase separately to cook with at home. An example ingredient list might include: tomatoes, olive oil, onions, fresh basil, salt, garlic, black pepper, oregano.
  A few brands I enjoy for Marinara, ingredient list may vary by flavor: Muir Glen, Whole Foods 365, Target Brand, & Thrive Market.
  Pesto: traditional pesto contains cheese, so if you are okay with dairy most pestos are free of extreme additives. If you are looking for a dairy free version, Trader Joes’s Vegan Pesto is nothing but clean ingredients & freezes well!
  For a homemade marinara check out this recipe.
  For a homemade pesto check out this recipe.
  For a homemade creamy alfredo check out this recipe
• Mayo: Traditional Mayo is an oil & egg based spread. It is usually created using processed oils like canola or vegetable which leads it be being high in trans fat, deeming it “unhealthy”. With the right ingredients Mayo can actually be considered a healthy fat. Look for Mayonnaise with an avocado or olive oil base. My favorite brand is Sir Kensington Avocado Mayo.
  For a homemade Mayo check out this recipe.
• Nut Butters – how many times in this post will I say “sneaky sugars”? Too many, and it’s sadly because the corporate food producers add them into everything. When shopping for peanut butter, this is an item you WANT to buy organic as peanuts are one of the most heavily sprayed crops.
  With peanut butter or nut butter, look for 2 ingredients or less: Nut, salt.
• Spice Blends: spice blends can be found full of additives & high in sodium. If you have a full spice cabinet with single ingredient spices it’s very easy to mix up your own blends. There are also a lot of brands like Primal Palate that sell additive free spice blends.

Animal Proteins

Studies show that organic & grass fed meats & products not only encompass greater health benefits for the consumer but the label also indicates environmental benefits as well. There aren’t many times you will hear me preach about organic labeling (more about this below), but sustainably raised meats are somewhere I believe we can really do our part.

• Beef:
  What to look for on the label: Organic, means the animal was raised on a certified organic pasture, and fed a diet of feed that was not sprayed with synthetic pesticides. Grass-fed, the animal ate a diet of grass only as opposed to feed. Grass fed meat is significantly higher in Omah -3s. Certified Humane: This indicates the animals were humanely raised and antibiotics were only used when the animals were sick.
• Pork: Free-Range & when buying cured meats like bacon look for no sugar added or No Nitrates/Nitrates Added.
• Chicken:
  What to look for: Chicken carrying the organic seal or label (regulated by USDA) mean the chicken has been fed only certified organic feed. The chicken is also free-range & and has not been given antibiotics. Pasture-Raised also means they were raised primarily outdoors.

• Eggs:
  What to look for: Organic- this only refers to the organic diet hens were fed, and nothing about their living quarters, so pair organic with our next label. Pasture Raised plus a stamp that say “Certified Humane” and/or “Animal Welfare Approved,” it means that each hen was given 108 square feet of outdoor space, as well as barn space with free-reign. Here is what you can ignore: Cage-free – this simply means that the chickens were not in cages, but their living quarters are still confined in a facility with no outdoor access. Free-Range: these chickens might have access to the outdoors but it doesn’t mean they actually use it. Hormone Free & No Added Antibiotics – This label doesn’t mean much as hormones & steroids are banned by the FDA.
• Fish: buy Wild Caught

Drink More Water!

Swap out sugary juices and drinks for flavored sparkling water, kombucha, or unsweetened tea.

Do I have to buy organic?

Buying and eating organic can be expensive, but on the other side of the coin it can limit your exposure to extra pesticides & toxins used by growers so trying to buy organic when your budget allows is a good idea.. Luckily, Each year the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit organization, releases a Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce that lists fruits and vegetables with the highest and lowest pesticide residues. The produce is tested after it’s brought home from the grocery store and washed, just like you would do at home. This makes it super easy for us to prioritize when to buy organic. The below is the most recent (2021) list of foods you should buy organic.

1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Kale
4. Nectarines
5. Apples
6. Grapes
7. Peaches
8. Cherries
9. Pears
10. Tomatoes
11. Celery
12. Potatoes

This post has all the information you need and more. I’d love to hear what foods you are swapping out and what steps you are taking in your kitchen or tips you can share with others on what has worked for you in transitioning to healthier alternatives. Leave a comment below or come drop me a line over on Instagram!

So many people nowadays spend hundreds to thousands of dollars per year on self-care without realizing that they are not getting the full benefits from their session. A huge thing that we don’t think about is that our nervous system not functioning properly can alter how our body responds to self-care.

The nervous system controls everything your body does from walking, digestion, pumping blood to sleeping. There is nothing in the body that can function without proper input and output through the many nerves and the brain that make up the nervous system. So what happens when the nervous system is not working properly? Muscles won’t respond normally, organs and systems will start to disfunction and your body will only get a small portion of benefit in all the care you give it.

Meditation

Who has experienced not being able to shut off your brain in meditation and ending the session with stress still underlying? Can you imagine meditating and being able to fully shut off your brain completely, and you come out of the experience completely calm?  Adding chiropractic to your self care allows your brain to remain calm and release any anxiety. This helps you get the most of your personal time while in meditation.

Massage

Who has experienced paying 100 dollars for a massage and getting great relief but then having your muscles lock up on you again a few days later? Can you imagine being able to hold your massage and getting the benefits long term? Adding chiropractic care allows your muscles to respond and function at full capacity. You will be able to fully enjoy the benefits of the massage as muscles release, relax and return to full functioning.

Naps

Who has experienced waking up from a nap feeling worse than before? Or you feel like your body isn’t able to fully fall asleep. Can you imagine being able to lay down for a nap and fall asleep instantly, then wake up refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the day? Adding chiropractic care into your self-care routine allows you to fully reach REM cycles. This allows you to fully refuel your body and mind waking up refreshed and ready to take on your day.

Chiropractic is the perfect self care in order to make sure your body is keeping up with your fast paced lifestyle. It allows you to handle stress better and keep all aspects of your health high functioning. It also allows you to enhance your other self care practices

Ergonomics of Sitting

As the years go by, our society has become more and more sedentary. Currently what that means for the majority of the population is sitting 5 days a week for 40 hours as demanded by their jobs. If you haven’t heard yet, sitting is the new smoking. It may be hard to think that sitting for long periods could actually be an occupational health hazard due to the lack of muscles and effort that is needed. We will dive into how it really does affect your body and how to prevent sitting from impacting your health by implementing proper at-home ergonomics. 

How is Sitting Harmful

Sitting can affect circulation

A fixed working position squeezes the blood vessels in the muscles, reducing the blood supply to the working muscles just when they need it the most. Insufficient blood flow can also lead to blood pooling, especially in the lower legs. Pressure on the underside of the thighs from a seat that is too high can further aggravate this. The result can be swollen or numb legs and eventually varicose veins. 

Sitting can make your body prone to injury

Although sitting involves less muscular effort than other physically demanding jobs, it still causes fatigue within the body. Sitting requires the muscles to hold the trunk, neck, and shoulders in a fixed position. An insufficient blood supply accelerates fatigue and makes the muscles prone to injury when trying to go from sitting to performing simple tasks such as lifting, bending, and exercising.

Sitting can decrease mobility

Limited mobility, seen in individuals who undergo prolonged sitting, contributes to injuries in the parts of the body responsible for movement: the muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments. We see sitting reduces the body’s movement and makes muscles more prone to pull, cramp, or strain when suddenly stretched. Another factor is the steady, localized tension on certain muscles of the body. The neck and lower back are the regions usually most affected. 

Sitting can damage your spine

Sitting is seen to add a steady compression on the spinal discs that hinders their nutrition and can contribute to their premature degeneration. Poor posture while sitting can also alter the structural integrity of the spine encouraging degeneration to occur at a faster rate.  As prolonged sitting continuously deteriorates the spine it is seen more and more stress is in turn added onto the nervous system. 

Common Poor Positions

The couch slouch

We all have done it before. Lounging on the couch, sitting right on the edge, our spine curved and our head supported on the back edge. This specific posture affects the spine severely. The largest aspect is the fact that a lot of compression is added into the disks that render their function of support and cushion purposeless. The structural integrity is also compromised as the spines’ natural curves are forced into unnatural positioning. The added effect of doing work on a laptop in this position adds more strain to the neck and altering the curvature in that region as well. 

The crosser

We all know who is guilty of this. The individual that sits in the car, on the couch, and in the restaurant with one leg crossed under the other. The positioning of the leg has the biggest effect in the pelvic region. This causes the pelvis to rotate putting stress on the spine that sits on top of it. With the pelvis always being rotated in one specific position it starts to stay crooked, causing tension in ligaments and muscles that attach on and around the area. 

Ergonomics

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Positioning

For proper home ergonomics, feet need to be placed flat on the floor to support the legs. Back needs to be straight with shoulders back allowing the spines natural curves to support the body. The screen needs to be raised in order to meet at eye level and take any strain off of the neck. For each major joint such as the hips, knees, and elbows the positioning is best when they are at a range close to 90 degrees. 

 Varying these positions is the essence of “good sitting”. So, a good sitting position is one that allows an individual to change their body positions frequently and naturally within acceptable parameters, and when they want without being restricted by the work station. 

Support

When setting up your workstation, books or a platform can be put under the monitor in order to get the screen at eye level. If you are working on a laptop it is recommended to put the laptop on the platform at eye level and purchase a separate keyboard for you to type on. A fully adjustable chair is necessary so that positioning can accommodate the wide variation in individual sizes to allow for both elbows and knees to sit at 90 degrees. If needed, a platform can be put under the feet to allow for feet to be placed flat under the legs. If sitting in your chair has uncomfortable cushions underneath, you can help to soften the surface or a lumbar support can be used to allow a more comfortable good posture. 

Ready to start improving your posture and working on your spinal health? Schedule an appointment to start your journey to better health!

As you know, at Impact Chiropractic we take your personal health and safety very seriously. You may have some growing concerns about the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), and we wanted to put your mind at ease. We have always followed the CDC and Dept of Health’s recommendations and standards for healthcare providers. However, we want to outline some of the standard and additional precautions we have taken during this time: 

• Chiropractic tables are disinfected between each patient. If you would like a private room outside of the adjustment bay, please make your request with any of our assistants. This may add additional time to your scheduled appointment, so please plan accordingly.
• Multiple times a day we disinfect the toy area, rehab equipment, door handles, and commonly used surfaces. Additional disinfecting wipes have been added by the traction units for patients to use as well.
• Hand-washing and sanitizing is your best self-defense against the spread of germs. The Chiropractors at Impact Chiropractic sanitize their hands between each patient they come in contact with. We do have sterile gloves in each room as well. Please request prior to your adjustment if you would like the doctor to wear them.
• We are grateful to have added another phenomenal Chiropractor at the perfect time. Because of this, we are able to accommodate more patients and your time spent in the office should be decreased. However, many patients are choosing to increase their wellness plans at this time. Adjustments help to boost the immune system and it is one of the best proactive decisions you can make at this time of concern. Please let our team know if you would like to increase the frequency of yours and your family’s adjustments during this pandemic.
• If you would like to schedule your appointments at our slower times, please talk with our Chiropractic Assistants and they will do their best to help accommodate the schedule.
• Besides our internal air purification system, we will also be diffusing On Guard in the office during patient hours. On Guard is a powerful proprietary blend of essential oils that supports healthy immune function and contains cleansing properties. 
• Professional cleaning. Please take comfort in the fact that not only do we clean and sanitize the office between patients, we also hire professional cleaners weekly for intense deep cleaning.
• Please stay home if you are not feeling well, especially if you have a fever, are coughing or sneezing or are experiencing shortness of breath. Because adjustments boost the immune system, we understand your desire to come for your appointments. Instead, we request that you please stay home if you are not feeling well (especially if you have a fever, coughing, sneezing, or respiratory issues). However, we would be happy to accommodate you in our private adjusting room. We will ask that you wear a mask into the office and not use any of the rehab equipment. Our team will direct you to a private, sterile adjusting room in the east wing of our building. Please call ahead if this is your case so that our doctors can better prepare themselves to see you at a proper time (last patient of the day.) 
• Be cautious and if your child is coughing, sneezing, or having respiratory issues, please do not allow them to roam around the office and please keep them out of the toy area.
• Help us by being vigilant. If you have traveled to any of the countries where there are outbreaks of the virus, please follow guidance on the CDC website.
• We have advised all team members to wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, particularly after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing their nose, coughing or sneezing.
• We have hand sanitizers stocked in every room and at each of the front/back desks and rehab area.
• Any staff members who are ill will be sent home. 

We are closely monitoring updates from the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization regarding COVID-19. We will continue to seek guidance from these agencies and public health officials, and we will update you as new information becomes available.  

Doctor means teacher. Therefore our doctors are passionate about providing information on how to prevent disease and prolong and enhance your quality of life. If you would like more information on current immune boosting protocols we have been speaking about, please read the following:

-Blog on the Top 5 Tips to Boost your Immune System

-Dr. Elise’s IG Highlight video on Supplements for her Kids

We are committed to making our clinic a safe and enjoyable place for all. Thank you for being such a valued patient of our Impact Chiropractic family.  

Best in Health,

Dr. Elise Rigney, DC

Owner

Watch out, 2020 is the year of prosperity!!! As we enter March, we welcome International Astrology Day on March 19th, 2020. In honor of the coming holiday, we will dive into finding what’s in store for your coming year and how to get the most benefit from it. Then we’ll discuss the perfect self care for your sign and what essential oil can help ensure you have the best year yet. 

So, what exactly is “self care”? Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. Although it’s a simple concept in theory, it’s something we often overlook. Making sure to take time for yourself this year will help you be able to face what’s ahead! However, what self care looks like to you might look totally different than to somebody else. We’ll dive into specifically what self care you need according to your sign to have the best year possible. 

An amazing form of self care is incorporating essential oils! Essential oils are concentrated compounds that are extracted from plants. Not only do they smell absolutely amazing, but each one offers a unique benefit to the body and the mind. Utilizing the oil best suited for you in 2020 will elevate your experience this year and help you to truly thrive. We’ve identified which oil or blend is best for your sign in 2020, and you can pick up any of these DoTERRA oils or blend in our office at your next visit!

Aries: This year is about finding balance in all aspects of your life: Being able to find the perfect mixture of family, romance, career, and self care. During this year you will feel very stable and secure. Be on the lookout for any opportunities that you may need to take the initiative on. Add in meditation and the essential oil “Balance” to get the most out of your year of stability. 

Meditation is the practice of clearing the mind and finding true awareness. Many benefits follow the practice of meditation, including controlling anxiety, bringing clarity, generating kindness and overall promotion of emotional health. Add in meditation daily in order to start the day with the needed attitude to ensure healthy and balanced choices.  

Balance is a perfect grounding blend. It offers a tranquil aroma that promotes whole body relaxation. Finding harmony in the mind, body and emotions. Use Balance for an extra benefit by soothing sore muscles. 

Taurus: This year is all about stability when facing all different avenues of life. Your challenge this year will be to not take on too much. Know which opportunities fit in your newly secure life and which ones will throw off your perfectly zen state of mind. Impulsive decisions are not in the cards for you this year, especially when it comes to your finances, love life, or career. Go with the flow as things come up and enjoy having absolute balance. Add in deep tissue massages and the essential oil “Serenity” to get the most out of your year of stability. 

Deep tissue massages utilizes the manipulation of soft tissues to release any tension held in the body. Utilize massages this year to optimize mobility and muscular relaxation, overall helping to balance everyday stress with some much needed self care. 

Serenity is a calming aroma, which creates a relaxing environment. Add this essential oil throughout the day during stressful times or to increase a tranquil meditation. Use Serenity for an extra benefit of reducing tension headaches. 

Gemini: This is the year of revitalization. Gear up to make some exciting new changes in different aspects of your life. You get to set the pace of how this year will go, either turning up the excitement or slowing it down for your needs.  Don’t be afraid to jump on opportunities that come your way. Add in yoga and the essential oil “On Guard” to get the most out of your year of refresh.

Yoga is both a spiritual and physical practice. The practice utilizes breathing, meditation, and exercise to gain a multitude of benefits. These include decreasing chronic pain, optimizing mobility, and increasing energy, mental clarity, and muscular strength. Adding yoga into your workout routine will help add a new exciting element to your life, refreshing your body and mind in order to make the most out of your year.

On Guard is a strong cleansing blend that helps to boost the immune system. This promotes improvement in circulation, skin clarity, and respiratory function. Utilize to add some refreshing uplifting energy into your life 

Cancer: This is the year of exciting changes in your life. There are multiple areas of your life that need a new and fresh perspective, and 2020 is the year to grab on to any and all new fun opportunities. Don’t be afraid to try something new or spice up a regular routine. Add in a new workout routine and the essential oil Rosemary to get the most out of your year of change. 

Try starting a new workout routine or add in some fresh new classes. This helps break old habits and forms new ones. Join a yoga studio, take a hike, go horseback riding, kayak down local rapids, or start a new lifting program. Don’t be afraid to really embrace a new form of movement in your body. 

Rosemary is an energizing scent that has a wide range of benefits. Utilize to get a full body detox, gain mental awareness, or help to grow your hair super strong. Add in this blend in order to help enhance having the fun filled year of firsts. 

Leo: This year is a year of fun twists and turns! Don’t shy away from any new challenges. Lean into these new experiences with full force and enjoy. It may be scary at first, but will be so worth it in the end. This is a good year to shoot for the moon and really go for your goals. As all this excitement is happening, make sure to draw the line and know when and what is too much for you to handle. Add in making a vision board or the essential oil “Vetiver” to get the most out of your year of twists and turns

Vision boards are tools that help clarify, concentrate, and form life dreams. Creating a vision board has actually been shown to increase the success of achieving goals. It may be the motivation you need in order to fully embrace your exciting new year.

Vetiver is an exotic and empowering blend. Make sure to add in Vetiver to stay mentally grounded and strengthen the nervous system as you navigate the excitement of this year.  Use as an added benefit in order to rejuvenate your entire system. 

Virgo: This is your year to be impulsive in all avenues of life. You typically tend to go the more conservative route, but in 2020 make sure you go for it. If there are any opportunities you have been on the fence about, make sure to jump on them. Your life will be enriched with all the new changes that come in the current year. Add in a spontaneous getaway trip or the essential oil Thyme to help give you the confidence to be as impulsive as you want. 

Weekend getaways can be a fun and spontaneous trip that have so many benefits! Not only does it help to mentally and physically recharge the body, but will help you be more productive when returning to normal day to day. Don’t be afraid to look at this coming weekend and book yourself some much needed fun!

Thyme is a warming aroma that has cleansing and purifying properties. Using thyme can help to reduce stress and decrease blood pressure, in turn enhancing courage and physical endurance to help you make those impulsive decisions this year. 

Libra: This is the year to really enjoy and have as much fun as possible. Look to really have a blast with both family and in romance this year. Don’t be afraid to try something new in order to find enjoyment in finances and your career as well. 2020 will not have many large events to look forward to, so your goal is to have fun with the little things while rejuvenating for the coming years. Add in lots of romantic dates or girls night out for some good self care and the essential oil “Wild Orange” to pump up the fun this year. 

Make sure to add in lots of fun outings this year. Have a blast attending brunches while sipping mimosas, having a romantic date, or just grabbing some coffee with a friend. Being able to add these small excursions will make sure you make the most out of your year while also helping you to increase your sense of self worth and belonging. 

Wild Orange is an uplifting and energizing oil. It has many benefits including boosting immunity, relieving stress and aiding in digestion. Adding in this oil can give you the exciting boost you need to take on the year and simply have fun.

Scorpio: This is the year of liberation and moving forward in your life. Right now, there are restrictions that are holding you back in certain aspects of life. Your job is to identify them and make sure to get rid of any unnecessary baggage. Not only can this help move your life in the right direction, but your positive energy can help to move others’ lives forward as well. Self care for you this year is unfollowing anyone that brings you down on social media and taking a technology break. Adding in the essential oil Lemon can also help accentuate your new found freedom. 

Technology is a wonderful tool to stay up to date with all your friends and family, however, it can have a very dramatic effect on our self worth and feelings. In order to really get the liberation you need in 2020, make sure to take a technology break. This allows you to lead your life without comparing it to everyone else’s, boosting your confidence and self worth. Before taking your break, make sure to unfollow any toxic people you follow. Breaking these ties will help you live your most empowering year yet. 

Lemon essential oil offers invigorating properties while being very versatile. Use this oil to refresh or uplift your mood while making these changes in your life. It also has added benefits of cleansing the body and increasing circulation.  

Sagittarius: This is your year to meet all your resolutions. No more putting off those new workout regimens or healthy habit changes. Make sure to set your goals and be ready to take steps to meet them! This may mean letting go of any baggage that is holding you down. Be on the lookout for any new opportunity that comes into your life and embrace it. Add in the self care practice of journaling and the essential oil of lemongrass to help find the motivation to crush your resolutions. 

Journaling is the habit of writing down feelings, inspiration, or just events of your life. By writing everything down, you are forced to slow down and process everything that’s happening in your life. It’s a way to help channel feelings and emotions in order to find creative and healthy outcomes. Journaling is the perfect self care to help you keep your resolutions and find the motivation to achieve them all. 

Lemongrass has a potent and smoky aroma. Aiding in reducing inflammation, promoting sleep, and overall relaxing the body. Add in your daily routine to find a clear and calm mind in order to take on the year and make it your own. 

Capricorn: This is a year of peace for you. In the last few years, you have been running around and exhausting yourself. It’s time to finally take a step back and make sure you are taking care of your body as it should be. In 2020, don’t be afraid of using the word NO when responding to requests. Find time for yourself and release any stress that has been weighing you down. Add in self care in the form of bubble baths and lavender essential oil in order to get the most zen 2020 possible.  

Adding bubble baths into your routine not only will be relaxing but will force you into taking some much needed alone time. It will be hard to take the time for yourself in the beginning, but you will see the mental and physical benefits if you do. Add in fun aspects to make your self-care even more rewarding, from candles to a glass of wine or a really good book. 

Lavender is a very soothing oil and is the perfect aroma to help find peace. The biggest benefit lavender offers is reducing stress and anxiety to help promote sleep. This oil is perfect to add into your bubble baths to enhance your overall zen. Use lavender for an added benefit of healing scars, rashes, and acne. 

Aquarius: This is the year of showing off all your amazing skills. You will shine in your career and in relationships, showing everyone how amazing you can truly be. Don’t shy away from letting your true talents be utilized. You have worked too hard to keep them hidden from the rest of the world, but 2020 is the year to try a new hobby with all your successful energy flowing. Add in the self care exercise of taking an art class and the essential oil cedarwood to enhance your year of shining. 

Go ahead and sign up for an art class and explore a new hobby. From pottery throwing, painting, drawing, or even stained glass making, there is a class for you. This endeavor will push you out of your comfort zone to help stimulate creativity and add fun into your daily routine. Take time for yourself to explore a new avenue and nourish your mind. You will be pleasantly surprised by how fast your skills grow and shine through.

Cedarwood is a warming and woody scent. Using cedarwood helps to amplify positive energy and encourage courageousness as you step into the limelight. There are also added benefits of improving sleep and healing skin! Make sure to add cedarwood into your routine to get the most out of your year.

Pisces: This is the year of adventure for you. In 2020, make sure to be brave enough to take big steps forward in all aspects of life. In past years you may have been playing it safe, but be ready for things to ramp up in 2020. Changes will occur without you having to take much initiative, so be sure not to shy away. Add in more time outdoors as well as the essential oil peppermint to get the most out of your year of excitement

For self care this year, make sure you get outside and enjoy that fresh air. Hiking, rafting, skiing, or just walks around the neighborhood will give you the small adventures you crave. Being outside has the added benefits of boosting your energy, increasing vitamin D, clearing your mind, and increasing creativity. Sounds like the perfect setting in order to spark something new to spice up your daily routine!

Peppermint is a vibrant scent that helps to wake up the mind and the body. It has lots of benefits to the body, including aiding in digestion and relieving headaches, while also helping mental focus and recharging the mind. Make sure to use this oil in order to really dive into your next adventure in 2020. 

Ready to dive into some serious self-care? Stop by the Impact office to pick up the essential oil that’s right for you and let us know how your new self-care routine is going!