Unit 3 Reflection

                                 This is a picture taken in Breckenridge Colorado a few years ago.
This weeks post is one of reflection. We are supposed to rank on a scale of 1-10 how we feel we are doing in our progress toward Integral Health then we are supposed to set goals in each area that will help us progress toward optimal health and well-being.

Physical- In the area of physical well-being I would rate myself a 5. I say a 5 because I have been steadily making progress toward the betterment of my overall health for the last few years. In January 2011 I quit smoking. I receive regular health and dental care. I am limiting my dietary intake of animal products and getting regular exercise. A goal I would like to set for myself physically would to reach a healthy maintainable weight by the end of this year. I am already taking steps to reach this goal and am exploring a vegetarian diet as a means to help me achieve it.

 Spiritual- The area of spiritual well-being is one I have to admit is a grey area for me. I am going to rate myself at a 4 because I am not a traditionalist in this particular area. I believe in a higher overall state of being. A sort of spiritual collective that promotes goodwill toward all. I believe that science and people are capable of wonderful and glorious things. Nature if taken care of will provide nourishment for our bodies, mind, and soul. A goal I am setting for myself is to actively practice loving-kindness. I am trying to be mindful of my words and actions not only towards others but the environment as well.

Psychological- The area of psychological well-being I will rate as a 6. I admit I have areas of weakness the biggest being anxiety (I am a mother of teenagers and a toddler- anxiety comes with the kids). I know that I have this issue and I know there are things that I can do to lessen the anxiety and the inevitable stress it brings. The goal I have set for myself is keep a journal and to continue blogging. This helps me relieve stress, acknowledge feelings, and prioritize things.

The relaxation exercise this week was very long. I found it difficult to find a solid 20 minutes to complete the meditation. That said I did enjoy the prism aspect of the meditation. I liked the association of the colors with different regions of the body and how they translated into feelings of love, being grounded, being centered...etc.

Unit 2- Reflection

Integral Health and Wellness is the coarse I am taking that has sparked this blog. Part of this weeks work was to reflect on a guided relaxation exercise. I have to say I enjoyed it. A very soothing male voice came on. He walks you through breathing techniques which brings you to a very relaxed state. In that relaxed state he talks you through opening up your body for full blood flow to promote deep muscle relaxation. The experience is very soothing. I enjoyed it. If you are someone who struggles with relaxation a guided relaxation tape maybe very helpful. I found this link with audio guided relaxation downloads.

http://www.dartmouth.edu/~healthed/relax/downloads.html

Unit 2- Welcome

Welcome-
     A little note to introduce myself. I am an Army wife. The MSG (Master Sergeant) and I have been married for almost 19 years. Our time with the Army is just a little longer as a couple (almost 20 years) but  we are both Army brats. We have four beautiful children. For their sake, I have promised to not use their names so the oldest is 19 he just joined the Army and leaves for basic training this July, he is his fathers son so I will refer to him as Junior. The next in line is also 19. He just enrolled in college and loves video games, art, music, and has a very old soul. He will absolutely hate this but he will be referred to as Gamer. Next is my teenage daughter she is 15. She is moody, likes boys, reads a lot, and is very much a teenage girl. I will refer to her as  YouTube since that is how she spends a lot of her down time. The last is our 17 month old and she is a ball of energy. I will refer to her as Miracle since to me that is what she is.
     So that's my family. I am a Nutrition Science major desperately trying to complete my last year at Kaplan University. I chose Nutrition Science because in 2008 my YouTube was diagnosed with Celiac disease. To put a cherry on that news, Gamer who had suffered several broken bones starting at the age of 4 was diagnosed with osteopenia. I wanted to be able to give them the tools to live the best life possible. This blog is a requirement of a class I am taking. I am hoping that it becomes something I can continue with. I hope you find inspiration and some joy through my ramblings.

                                          Thanksgiving 2013- YouTube, Gamer, Miracle, Junior.