Sleep, Stress and Anxiety

Hemp-derived supplements offer many health benefits, but unbeknownst to many have almost nothing in common with marajuana.

There’s been almost a perfect storm created by the legalization of marijuana in many states alongside the fast rise of hemp-based health products. When you see CBD advertised at the gas station, you know it’s reached the mainstream. But how many people really understand what these products are, let alone how they can improve your health? You may be surprised to learn about the proven health benefits of many hemp-derived supplements—and that they have almost nothing in common with the drug most commonly associated with the cannabis plant.

A horrible boss. At some point in our lives, we will all have at least one. In my seemingly never-ending struggle to find a good, permanent, full-time role, horrible bosses have been a big factor. After having a boss that was physically abusive towards 2 of my colleagues, and extremely verbally and emotionally abusive to us all, I thought that there was no possible way I could ever have a boss more horrible than that. But last year, I was proven wrong. I Had A Great Boss, Until… Not long ago, I had a great boss. But I didn't really like my job. It was an incredibly fascinating industry, but there was a lot of pressure and not a lot of training. Because it was within the justice system, the smallest mistakes could have severe, legal consequences. After being unemployed and underemployed for years, however, I was just happy to be working full time again. With my boss's full support, I tried to find my place within the organization. I started off in one department, moved to another, and back-filled for a third. I applied (and interviewed) for two other positions at a secondary location. My boss even sent me to a career conference, hoping it would help me out. There were things I liked and disliked about each position, but I couldn't see myself working in any of them for the rest of my career. Then I experienced a severe "false alarm" on the job. Which, at the time, I didn't know only a false alarm. Had it been real, it could have been fatal. I didn't sleep at all that night, and I didn't go to work the next day. I didn't want to go back to work at all! But I didn't want to go back to being unemployed again, either. So I started to very aggressively apply elsewhere. And was prescribed anxiety medication for the first time in my life. I Ignored the Red Flags Within a couple of weeks, I was offered and accepted a new job. I was thrilled! I had never been able to find a job quickly! The role was half administrative and half financial, which was the direction I was hoping to take. I wanted to learn more than the underlying financial things that I had done in the past, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. Everything was falling into place so quickly; I completely ignored all the red flags that were there right from the start. Like how I felt during and after the interview. Or how my new manager, Mrs. Horrible Boss, gave me a hard time for wanting to give two weeks notice, insisting that I quit and immediately start with her the next day. Instead, I did whatever I could to convince myself that accepting this new job was the right thing to do. The anxiety from the "false alarm" was overwhelming. I couldn't keep going back into that same office and being put in that same risky situation day after day, constantly worrying that this time it might not be "just a false alarm." That this time I'd be leaving the office in an ambulance – or worse. I was vulnerable and desperate to get out, so I did. The Reality Quickly replaced the Honeymoon Phase My first few weeks at my new job went well! But it didn't take long for Mrs. Horrible Boss to show her true colors. The position had been vacant for more than six months, and she was not happy that it was taking me so long to get caught up. So she started to implement arbitrary and impossible to meet deadlines. And couldn't care less when I tried to tell her that they were impossible. The more I learned about the role, the more issues I uncovered, as well. Hundreds of receipts without names or invoice numbers. Envelopes of cash, unmarked, and left sitting in an unlocked drawer for months. Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of outstanding invoices still owed to the department, going at least a few years back. All things that Mrs. Horrible Boss knew nothing about, and somehow didn't care about, either. She just wanted me to fix the year's worth of mistakes within a matter of weeks. As a brand new employee, who was still being trained and was still learning the role. While also trying to catch up and keep up with the whole administrative half of the job. READ:  Finding the Best Paying Freelancer Jobs in 2020: Fiverr vs. Upwork vs. Symposium I Started to Think There Was Something Wrong With Me Why wasn't I getting it? Why was I struggling so hard to do even a mediocre job? Why was I always in trouble, no matter what I did? So I started working through my breaks and lunches. I even offered to work overtime on the weekend, so that I could maybe make some progress. Not that any of that mattered. My second monthly performance review went horribly. I was now being told (for the first time) about all these other things I was being accused of doing wrong. None of which were correct. But any attempt to speak up or defend me in that meeting was shot down. I was told that due to my inability to meet deadlines (which I told her many times were impossible to meet), I was being kept on probation for an additional two months. I was not happy. And I wasn't going to sit back and take it, either. I Tried Standing Up For Myself, But… Standing up for myself is something that I'm terrible at. I try to avoid confrontation at all costs, even when that cost is my sanity and self-worth. But Mrs. Horrible Boss was entirely out of line. Lying, blaming me for things that happened years before I was hired — not offering me any kind of support, guidance, or solution. Trying to reprimand me for things that were direct violations of the labor laws. So I contacted my union rep, who told me that this was not the first time Mrs. Horrible Boss had pulled this bullshit. She had even somehow bullied her way into firing someone that didn't also work for the organization! Then I did my homework. I had a spreadsheet full of exact dates, times, and details of relevant conversations. Copies of emails, the Employment Standards Act, and my union collective agreement, all highlighted and ready to go. I was ready to stand up for myself. At least I was on paper. In reality, however, I was not. I wanted to get mad. I wanted to be angry and defend myself over her blatant lies and the ridiculous allegations being made against me. But I didn't. The truth is, I was barely hanging on. Outside of Work, Life was Also Going Terribly At the time, my husband was on medical leave, getting the runaround with his claim, and therefore had no income. I couldn't just quit, because then we'd have no income at all. Then there was a sudden death in his family. And if that wasn't stressful enough, my nearly 21-year old cat's health took a significant turn for the worse. My poor little old man was obviously suffering, and nothing we were doing was helping him. We made the most painful and agonizing decision to have him put down. I was completely broken. Days before my original probation period ended, there was a big meeting that included the union and HR. … I Was Fired. For the first time in my life, I was fired. Mrs. Horrible Boss didn't have a valid reason to fire me – but she didn't need one. Because I was still on probation, there wasn't a damn thing that I, the union, or anyone else could have done. Once again, she bullied her way into getting what she wanted. I was crushed.Devastated.Humiliated.I was an unemployed failure, yet again.I wanted to give up. It's Gotta Get Bad Before It Gets Good I know it's hard to believe, but somehow, someway, being fired actually turned out to be a good thing. First, the good people at the Employment Insurance office wholeheartedly agreed that I was fired without just cause. Therefore, they approved my claim. Although I wasn't thrilled to be collecting E.I. benefits again, I was grateful to have some income and some time to find another job. More importantly, it gave me some time to grieve, to process everything that had happened in the last few months, and to recover emotionally and mentally from hitting rock bottom. Then, being unemployed actually helped me get an excellent new job! I wrote a whole post about it, but the just of it is this: In Canada, you can work and collect employment insurance benefits at the same time. This opened up a lot of new opportunities for me that I probably wouldn't have considered otherwise. Including a casual contract for a job that I'd be perfect for. So I applied for it, had a great interview, and was offered the job! Less than two weeks after starting as a casual employee, they offered me a temporary full-time contract! Which became permanent full-time a year later. If I had not been fired and able to take advantage of this program, I couldn't have afforded to work only casual hours, and wouldn't have even bothered applying. I would have missed out on this truly amazing opportunity. READ:  How I Used My Hobby to Create a Dream Job Finding a job that I love has been life-changing! I now come home from work every day happy instead of miserable. I'm excited for Mondays, instead of being terrified of them. I sleep well at night, instead of being perpetually exhausted. I feel useful and appreciated, instead of incapable and worthless. Once again, I feel like I matter. My husband said it best when he said: "I finally have my wife back." I Was Replaced by 5 People I try to forget about the whole ordeal as much as I can, but it's almost impossible to do so, living in a smaller community. Like last week, when out of nowhere, I ran into a former coworker of mine from this job. At first, it brought up a lot of negative emotions. Even though she was very supportive of everything that had happened and we had a good rapport, I wasn't sure I also wanted to talk to her. But I'm so glad that I did. She told me that Mrs. Horrible Boss is still just as horrible as ever. In a department of less than 20 staff, she has fired three other people and drove another 3 to quit in less than a year. And then she told me something that made things even better (for me, at least). My former position has now become 5. FIVE! Yup – all the work that I was expected to do by myself is now being done by five full-time staff! I Finally Felt Vindicated Mrs. Horrible Boss's severe lack of management skills and completely unrealistic expectations of the position were the problem. Not me. I failed at that job because I was set up to fail. There was absolutely nothing wrong with me or my abilities. All that self-doubt I felt for months was really about her. There was nothing that I could have done to be successful at that job.(Unless, of course, I made four clones of myself. But if I could do that, I wouldn't have wasted it on a crappy $20 per hour job!) Finally, I have a real resolution to this whole ordeal beyond just trying to forget it happened in the first place. I can finally stop dwelling in the past, and stop beating myself up for not doing or saying something different. I feel like I can finally talk about it (or, in this case, write about it) and really start to move on. Don't Let a Horrible Boss Destroy You Like I Almost Did It is almost impossible not to start believing the belittling, demeaning abuse that a horrible boss puts on you, day after day. Not only does it affect your performance at work, but you take their words and behaviors home with you, too. Before long, a horrible boss can take over every aspect of your life. Their negativity can turn you into a negative person. Their bullying can turn you into a bully. And their lying and manipulating can turn you into a lying manipulator. They can destroy your confidence, your future career path, your professional relationships, your personal relationships, your mental health, your physical health. Working for a horrible boss can even be killing you, or drive you to consider suicide. If this is the case, please, I beg you to get help. Here are a few resources that include helpful information, personal stories, and crisis lines that you can call, text, email, or chat with: I almost let a horrible boss destroy me. Over something that had absolutely nothing to do with me or my abilities. Please, don't let this happen to you.

CBD is everywhere these days—in products from supplements to sparkling water to shampoo. What’s the best way to benefit? A doctor and a pharmacist explain. CBD Therapeutic Benefits “Hemp-derived CBD has a very large therapeutic potential to help in a multiplicity of ways,” says Joseph Maroon, MD, a neurological surgeon at the University of Pittsburgh, a pioneer in nutritional healing, and coauthor of a recent scientific review of CBD published in Surgical Neurology International. “It is a significant anti-inflammatory; it’s an analgesic—a pain reliever; and it’s an antianxiety agent.” And it does these things safely. In using CBD with hundreds of patients, Maroon has found no side effects other than some gastrointestinal upset in one or two cases. He recommends it for neck pain, back pain, degenerative disk disease, osteoarthritis, trauma, sleep problems, anxiety, and peripheral neuropathy, such as burning, painful feet that are a common complication of diabetes. For any type of pain, CBD is a safer alternative to over-the-counter remedies such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. “Ibuprofen kills 16,000 to 17,000 people a year from gastric hemorrhage, and it hospitalizes over another 100,000 for gastrointestinal bleeds,” says Maroon. And acetaminophen, when used long-term, is a common cause of liver failure and the need for a liver transplant. However, says Maroon, “CBD is not a cure-all.” Rather, it works best when used much like aspirin or the other over-the-counter pharmaceutical remedies, as a safer, plant-derived alternative. How Does CBD Work? CBD, short for cannabidiol, brings about benefits by influencing the endocannabinoid system—a signaling system that helps to regulate inflammation, the brain and central nervous system, and the immune system. Although its effects aren’t fully understood, CBD has a balancing effect. “It’s an adaptogen,” says Earl Mindell, a pharmacist, pioneer in nutritional healing, and author of Healing With Hemp CBD Oil. “It adapts to your needs.” As an example, someone taking CBD for pain might also experience reduction in anxiety or improvement in sleep, even though these weren’t the symptoms that prompted the use of CBD. Can CBD Get You High? The short answer is, “No.” CBD can be extracted from hemp or marijuana. Unlike hemp-derived products, CBD from marijuana may be combined with THC, the component in the marijuana plant that does produce a high. The hemp plant contains traces of THC, but by law hemp may not contain more than 0.3 percent THC—too little to produce a psychoactive effect. Recent Research The popularity of CBD has been driven by user experience, and the legalization of hemp cultivation in the United States in 2018 has opened the door to a proliferation of research. Mindell estimates that there are more than 40 human trials of CBD currently underway. CBD formulated as an FDA-approved drug, Epidiolex, is used to treat certain forms of childhood epilepsy, and there is anecdotal evidence that over-the-counter CBD products can also reduce epileptic seizures. Other study highlights: Pain:  One study tested a hemp CBD extract among people who had been taking opioids for chronic pain for at least a year. The study, published in Postgraduate Medicine, tracked 94 patients of a pain clinic based in New Albany, Ind., who took an extract containing approximately 15 mg of CBD, twice daily in most cases. After 8 weeks, 53 percent of patients had significantly reduced or eliminated use of opioids, and 94 percent reported better quality of life. In Poland, researchers tested a topical hemp CBD oil against a placebo for jaw pain in 60 people. In the study, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, applying hemp CBD oil topically to jaw muscles, twice daily for 14 days, significantly reduced pain intensity—by 70 percent in those using hemp CBD oil, compared to about 10 percent in those using a placebo oil. Sleep and Anxiety:  At a mental health clinic in Fort Collins, Colo., the effects of CBD were tracked in 72 patients suffering from anxiety or poor sleep. Nearly all patients took 25 mg of CBD daily in capsules (a handful took larger doses) as an adjunct to their usual drug treatment. After a month, there was mild improvement in sleep and greater improvement in anxiety. Among those who continued to take CBD for another month—56 percent—sleep varied but improvements in anxiety were sustained. Results of the research were published in The Permanente Journal. Parkinson’s Disease:  A review of studies that used CBD doses ranging from 75 to 400 mg daily, taken in addition to medications, found that patients experienced improved mental and emotional health and less disruptive involuntary movement while sleeping. The review was published in the European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience. What to Look for in a CBD Product The quality of CBD products varies a great deal. Look for a company whose website describes its agricultural, extraction, and testing methods and provides a Certificate of Analysis (COA)—results of testing by a competent lab. Tests should be done to ensure that products do not contain any microbial contaminants, pesticides, or other toxins that could be harmful. In addition, products should be tested to make sure that the label accurately states quantities of CBD and other ingredients. Label Check In capsules and tinctures, hemp CBD should be extracted from the aerial parts of the plant and should be “broad spectrum,” or “full spectrum,” meaning that in addition to CBD, it contains other beneficial components found naturally in the hemp plant. On labels, take note of the serving size and look for the quantity of CBD per serving. When choosing topical CBD balms or lotions, check other ingredients on labels for possible skin irritants or allergens. How to Use CBD CBD is best absorbed with fat, and some tinctures and soft gels contain fat. Otherwise, take CBD with a fatty food. Tinctures and sprays: For fastest absorption, try an oil-based hemp CBD tincture or spray designed to be taken under the tongue or into the cheek. These are absorbed from your mouth, rather than going through your digestive system. Pills: If you prefer to swallow pills, capsules and soft gels are available. Balms and lotions: Rub on a painful area and reapply as needed. How Much CBD to Take The overriding recommendation is “Start low and go slow.” Maroon recommends starting with 15 mg daily for three days and if needed, increase to 30 mg for another three days. If needed, keep increasing the dose by 15 mg every three days, up to 100 mg. To enhance sleep, take CBD in the evening. To relieve anxiety, pain, or other symptoms, take it during the day. In some cases, it makes sense to split the daily amount into two or more doses—if you experience anxiety relief for only a few hours, for example. For localized pain, such as a painful joint, start with a CBD balm or cream, rubbed on as needed. If, after a few days, you need more relief, try adding a tincture or pill. What Conditions Can CBD Be Used For? Conditions for which CBD may be beneficial include: Age-related macular degeneration Alzheimer’s disease Anxiety Arthritis Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Blood clots Cancer treatment side effects Crohn’s disease Depression Eczema Epilepsy Fibromyalgia Glaucoma Headaches, including migraines Heart disease High blood pressure Inflammation Insomnia Irritable bowel syndrome Menopause Multiple sclerosis Nausea Opiate addiction Panic attack Post-traumatic stress disorder Premenstrual syndrome Schizophrenia Skin conditions including acne Sleep problems Stroke recovery Thrombosis Thyroid disorders Traumatic brain injury Ulcerative colitis Vomiting

Terra Origin is always working to make your favorite products as accessible as possible. For this reason, Inner Balance supplements will now be in select GNC stores near you. If you have not experienced this harmonizing blend for yourself, it may be time to evaluate your stress levels and what impact that plays on your health and wellbeing. Stress is a forerunner to many major diseases including gastrointestinal distress, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and heart disease. It’s important to pay attention to the signs in your life long before stress causes a real problem to your health. Do you feel overly tired, anxious, depressed, in a constant state of brain fog, restless, irritable or overwhelmed? Does it seem like you fit less and less in your day, your motivation is dropping, you don’t want to exercise or socialize and unhealthy vices like binge eating, smoking or drinking are creeping back in? Perhaps you are holding it all together, but your body is protesting with increased muscle tension or spasms, headaches, insomnia or fatigue, stomach and digestive discomfort or even chest pains. We all have a stressful day now and then, but when these symptoms and pains have become part of your daily existence, it is time to take a proactive step before bigger problems arise. You may not be able to change your work, your home, family or financial situation or whatever it is that has you spread thin and stressed out. That is why you must incorporate stress management practices into your life to help you overcome what cannot be changed. Try these three simple yet effective methods to get back on top and back in control of your body. 1. What You Eat Matters The body is struggling with an overactive nervous system which is causing an imbalance in hormones, energy and internal communications. You must take care of your body by giving it the right fuel, so that it does not have the added pressure of detoxing, starving, continuously digesting or fighting nutrient depletion. When you are in a state of fight or flight, you must be energized and not by twenty cups of coffee. Be sure to eat a well-rounded diet, starting first thing in the morning. If you’re in a hurry, shake up a Terra Origin protein powder, plant-based, grass fed whey or bone broth. You can find all of these on our site or at GNC.com. 2. Supplements Save the Day There may be some disagreements around artificial supplements and vitamin absorption, but when it comes to herbal blends to support the body, capsules are still a potent method of getting the plant constituents your body needs. To beat the stress of our lives in today’s fast-paced society, we need all the help we can get. Ashwagandha root has grown in popularity for its success in balancing overactive or sluggish systems. It is an adaptogen, so its function is to reach homeostasis by balancing physiological processes. This means it adapts to your body and does what is needed. Rhodiola and Astragalus root are also powerful adaptogens that support your immune system and work to energize you. Holy basil and Schisandra berry are adaptogens which specifically work to counteract stress and recalibrate the nervous system. If you are not an herbalist, this may all seem confusing. That is why Terra Origin has cultivated this unique blend of herbs in the Inner Balance supplement to give you the support you need to feel at ease and relaxed no matter what the day throws at you.  3. Movement is Crucial Exercise and socialization may be the last things on your mind, but they are imperative to boosting endorphins and clearing your mind. We all know a hard workout can put you in the zone where nothing else matters for at least 45 minutes. When you get your heart rate up, you also release pleasure endorphins that can stabilize your mood and leave you feeling happier. The benefits of exercise on obesity and heart disease also help counteract the effects of stress on the body. Science has also shown that socialization and being with family helps to balance hormones and soothe the nervous system. Getting everyone together for dinner or having a night out with friends may seem like too much effort when you’re feeling overwhelmed, but once you get in the moment with them, you will feel a release in your system. If you can find some laughter, then your body will feel even more relaxed. These are not huge changes and should be easy to incorporate into your life starting right now. Don’t wait for stress to take over. Shop our site, GNC.com or head over to your local GNC to find nutrition that works to heal your body and soothe your mind.  

As we enter March and spring time is around the corner, your special day is getting closer. You have found the perfect dress, selected the venue, written the invitations, hired your florist, musicians, caterer, vendors and developed an intimate friendship with your coordinator. Now the countdown has begun, and the most important aspect of this day takes center stage, you! No matter how perfect everything may be, if the morning comes and you feel sick, bloated or anything less than glowing, radiant and sexy then even the most flawless plans will fall short. That’s why we decided to put together your health and beauty checklist to walk down the aisle as your exquisite self. This means hair, skin, nails, weight and inner health to avoid any negative digestive effects from nerves and jitters. Get ready to beam with confidence from the inside out! It can be very easy to find faults with ourselves when we feel nervous about being the center of attention or impressing our true love. Don’t fall into this trap! Remember everyone looking at you is there because they care for you and want to share this joyous moment, and the person waiting to marry you will love you regardless of how full your eyelashes or pouty your lips appear. Don’t let wedding day madness send you to potentially dangerous or unnatural procedures. To be healthy and walk in your own authenticity and unique attractiveness, you only need to do what is good for your body and mind. Since we know the body follows the mind, let’s start with your mental health checklist. Being Mentally Prepared Stress, anxiety, nerves and exhaustion are incredible enemies leading up to your wedding day, and they all have physical tolls that leave you less than your best. There are simple things you can begin to incorporate into your life now to gain control over your thoughts and emotions so that you are the one controlling your perfect moment. 1. Meditate and Visualize Don’t consider this a cliché. Athletes are trained to meditate and visualize before a big game or competition, and results have proven successful. Start incorporating five to ten minutes into your day, before you get out of bed or as you lie down to sleep and enter into a basic breathing count. Close your eyes, get in a comfortable position and take in a deep breath through your nose, hold it and let it out slowly through your mouth. Do this ten time and count the breaths if your mind wanders. Now enter into this rhythm as you begin to visualize your wedding day in complete, flawless details. Do not let your thoughts slip into a to-do list! This is about seeing what will be. Take time to focus on how you feel in this moment, how you look, where your mind is as you get ready and as you walk down the aisle. Feel the way the words, “I do,” roll out of your mouth. Be very articulate in the details as you visualize exactly what you want. 2. Get Your Beauty Sleep This may be more important now than ever! You don’t want to be sleep deprived as you make the biggest commitment of your life. If sleep doesn’t come easily, start making small adjustments now. Get strict with your bed time and what time you get up, follow a schedule and create a sleep routine. Turn off all electronics one to three hours before you go to sleep and create a bed time habit such as reading, meditating, listening to music or drinking a relaxing herbal tea while staring at the stars or fireplace. Consider a natural sleep aid with herbs like valerian root, chamomile and passion flower like Terra Origin Healthy Sleep. If you are already short on sleep, start adding in 15-20 minute naps in your day and squeezing in an extra hour or more each night to payback the sleep debt. This will do wonders for your health and radiance. Hair, Skin and Nails Every bride knows the importance of shiny, healthy hair, glowing, pure skin and strong, elegant nails, and she spends a lot of time and money getting them all ready for their big debut. Some things are basic like hydration, a healthy diet with well-rounded vitamins, nutrients and high in omega-3s. There are some tips and tricks to enhance your physical appearance. 1. Collagen is King Your hair, skin and nails are all built by collagen and need it to be full, shiny and strong. Start a collagen supplement now like Terra Origin Healthy Skin Boost in acai berry or citrus. Using a concentrated dose of VERISOL ® Bioactive Collagen Peptides, you can start attacking lines and wrinkles, cellulite and stress aging now, so that you can look your best. 2. Eat the Rainbow Try to get 30 different vegetables and half as many fruits into your diet every month. By diversifying your nutrients, you ensure that you get what you need and your body will reflect the added nutrition! If eating so many different things is difficult in your schedule, start adding a smoothie to your day. Do not simply juice your fruits and veggies as you want the fiber as a filler to avoid excess calories. For a greater variety, add in Superfood Green supplements and Superfood Red or Tropical supplements. Getting in Shape Let us remind you that the question has been asked and the answer has been given, so those extra pounds obviously didn’t matter. You are adored and desired just as you are. Wanting to look your best is natural and losing extra weight is great for your body and lifespan, but following extreme diets, long-term fasting or dangerous weight loss techniques is not the way to glow from the inside out. Don’t add to your stress now by doing something that is unhealthy or potentially dangerous. Take a look at three ways you can be your healthiest self. 1. Get Moving If you don’t have a regular workout schedule and the idea of one is overwhelming, start looking at how you can incorporate more movement in your day. Can you walk or bike to work, the grocery store or to your next appointment? Look for little things like taking the stairs, parking at the back of the lot, walking on your lunch break, dancing when you wake up or any other movement that makes you smile and gets your heart rate up. It can be in small 10-minute intervals throughout your day. It will make a difference! 2. Learn to Say ‘No’ It may be time to say no to the second helping, the office snack bar, cocktail hour and dessert. These things are not gone forever, but in the months leading up to your wedding, a few sacrifices in the calorie department will add up and help you trim down. Have some healthy snacks around, and if the weight is stubborn and cravings intense, opt for Terra Origin Healthy Fat Burner to suppress your appetite and block the accumulation of new fat cells. Even if you feel tired, put on five pounds and chipped a nail, we promise you no one will notice. Your wedding day is about celebrating two people coming together to start a journey of love and companionship. There is so much pressure put on brides today, but we must remember we are the architects of this moment, and the only pressure that can be put on our shoulders is that which we accept. So we would like to encourage you to see the phenomenal person that everyone else sees and realize you were the one chosen from all the people in the world to walk alongside your partner, and that is what really matters!  

For those who naturally open their eyes before the sun peaks over the horizon, we applaud you, and for those who don’t, we’re here to help you. Some of us force ourselves to wake when our bodies are fighting the alarm clock. Others gave up and created lives that allow them to sleep till mid-morning. Whatever your lifestyle or natural sleep cycle, here are some tried and true reasons to want to wake up in the morning and how to make that time an asset for the rest of your day. Have you ever heard the adage, ‘the early bird gets the worm?’ This tidbit of wisdom is conveying much more than the availability of breakfast. Many studies have been performed on the advantages of waking early and starting the day. They show early risers to be go-getters, with take charge personalities. They tend to be more perceptive and have better problem-solving skills. With those extra morning hours, they can get more done in their day both personally and professionally. Believe it or not, morning people also seem to be less grumpy and have a glass half full mentality. With the added quiet time, they are even less stressed as they are not running late, activating cortisol while running around in a panic looking for the keys or fighting deep lines of traffic. Those are some really good reasons to turn back the alarm clock, and maybe you’ve tried, but it’s not as easy as it sounds. The biggest curve ball for night owls is learning to go to sleep! Sleep cycles are based on an internal clock called our circadian rhythm. Plants, animals and even the planet run on this biological process of essentially 24-hour blocks of time. We can actually align our rhythm to that of the sun and moon by training ourselves to begin preparing for sleep once the sun goes down and begin waking as the sun comes up. Tests show that once you are in this planetary flow, your sleep will be more beneficial. There are a few tips to get yourself into a state of relaxation and ready for bed at earlier hours. First, cut all caffeine after mid-morning. Even if you don’t feel its effects, your adrenal glands might and can continue to release hormones that block deep sleep. Avoid electronics and blue light for two to three hours before bed. If evenings are your TV time, try bumping it up to an afterwork treat and using those later hours for reading, cleaning the house, meditation, prepping for the morning or even your daily exercise. No, it won’t keep you awake. In fact, it could help you fall asleep more easily. There are certain gentle herbs and teas that can facilitate sleep adjustments like Terra Origin Healthy Sleep supplement or a warm cup of valerian and hops tea. This next little trick is probably the most important thing we can share with you. To convince yourself to get up early, you need to have a motivation or reason that you really believe in. If you say it is to meditate, but you’ve never built up that practice, it will be too easy to rationalize going back to bed and trying again tomorrow. You need to really decide for yourself the reasons you want to get up and play those in your head the moment your alarm goes off. Now that morning has arrived, we encourage you to not hit the snooze button. You may even need to set an alarm across the room or in the bathroom. Do something that gets you out of bed. Here’s another key point. Have a plan! If you wake up groggy, wishing to go back to bed and have nothing to fill that morning time, you’ll be asleep on your couch in minutes. Exercise is one of the best ways to wake yourself up, even if it’s only for a brief walk around the block. This gets your body activated. Follow a quick sweat session with a cold shower, and there is no way you’re crawling back into that bed. If that sounds like torture, then take it more slowly. Start by getting dressed! Even if you aren’t leaving the house, the act of putting on clothes, brushing your hair and teeth and completing whatever morning routine you have will get your brain into motion. Next, we strongly recommend giving your metabolism a reason to start burning! Breakfast may not be for a few hours, but mix up something nutritious like Terra Origin Vanilla Bone Broth Protein or Healthy Reds SuperFoods to give your morning a boost. Lastly, be sure to take it slow. It’s unlikely that anyone can stick with a drastic two or three hour shift. Try 15-30 minute incremental changes. A good rule of thumb is double the time at night and half the time in the morning. So go to bed thirty-minutes earlier and wake up 15-minutes earlier. It may feel like a serious challenge at first, but as you slowly work to recalibrate your inner clock, your body will reward you with deeper sleep, more energy and improved mental and emotional well-being.

There is a random question on many personality exams that asks if you prefer an ailing body with an able mind or an ailing mind with an able body. We don’t see why it needs to be a choice? For most of our lives, we’re taught the value of taking care of our bodies. But are we taking the right steps now to protect our minds for the future? With a plethora of debilitating mental disorders such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, should we be doing more? Neurodegenerative diseases occur when brain cells begin to die and there are less and less nerve cells and connections. This means to keep your brain healthy, you must protect your body at the cellular level. Most doctors and scientists agree on several preventative methods to helps us ensure a long future for our memories and mental capabilities. 8 Longevity and Health Tips for Your Mind Challenge Yourself Your mind is a muscle and just like the rest of your body, if you want it to grow and stay fit, you need to use it. This can be as simple as the Sunday crossword. Chess. Sudoku. Card games. Riddles. It even helps to read and write, like a basic journal and the morning paper. Try to constantly learn new things, even if it’s cooking a new type of cuisine or basic car maintenance. Take on mentally stimulating projects, fun or practical or both, like wheel throwing, sketching or playing an instrument. Try to think of ways that incorporate memory and motor skills. Many studies show learning a new language is an incredible challenge that goes a long way to protect you from dementia. Another method of prevention is to expand your mind by using your opposite hand. So if you’re right handed and always brush your teeth and do your hair with your right hand, start doing it with your left. This helps to connect new neuropathways in your mind giving you more usable cells and connections.    Get Moving Exercise isn’t just for a great physique, although that’s an excellent benefit. Getting your blood pumping helps protect your cardiac health which can directly affect the health of your mind. Like all muscles, our brains need good circulation and a constant influx of fresh oxygen. Our blood is what carries that oxygen. When we exercise, our body is cued to carry more oxygen-packed blood to our muscle. As it gets to the brain, it fills the area that controls thoughts and messages the body to start creating more synapses and nerve cells. All that exercise also releases endorphins which can help with our next tip! Your Emotional Health Matters It’s really hard to be mentally alert, focused, motivated and self-caring, if our emotional health is struggling. Over 60 million people live with some form of anxiety, depression or sleep disorder in the United States alone! That’s a huge part of the population that struggle daily with cognitive acuity. When you compound anxiety, stress and emotional disorders with lack of sleep, as they are often hand in hand, you get an incredibly stressful environment for the body and the mind. For serious conditions, it’s wise to see your doctor and see what prescriptions are available. If your physician thinks a natural course of action would do the job, then consider Terra Origin Inner Balance with powerful adaptogens to moderate stress responses and emotional drains. Combine that with Terra Origin Healthy Sleep supplement and you will be on your way to better mental performance! Nutrition Never Stops Nutrients are not just for skinny jeans! We need to eat right for the cellular development in our brains. Omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial role in mental health, so if you do not eat fish at least twice a week, a supplement would be a great addition to your diet. It’s also important to regularly consume antioxidants. Your brain oxidizes over time just like an apple turns brown when exposed. By eating foods rich in flavonoids, you can protect yourself from inflammation and free radicals. Bring on the dark chocolate and red wine, in moderation of course! It’s also essential to include all colors and textures in your fruits and vegetables. Aim for four servings a day to power up your mental energy. Use Nature While yes, a walk through nature goes a long way in removing stress, we are referring to the many wonderful plants and herbs in nature. Ancient sciences have been guarding mental longevity and performance long before we understood cellular decline. Many of us are familiar with Ginkgo Biloba for mental energy, but the Chinese knew its benefits long before it became popular in mental stimulants. It helps supply greater blood flow to the brain and acts as an antioxidant. Scientific studies have shown it may slow down cognitive diseases and help preserve memory. Dairy foods, pasta, rice, eggs and peanuts play a major role in the next brain super-nutrient, choline. This supports your nervous system and may enhances memory by protecting your mind from age-related decline. Ayurvedic practitioners have been using Bacopa Monnieri for thousands of years to help preserve a sharp mind and faster recall. There are so many more, but you don’t have to go foraging. Choose a supplement made to protect your mind, like Terra Origin Healthy Brain. Physical Check-ups There are three major health components that can give your brain a long future, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. If your blood pressure is high, you need to look at your diet and your stress levels because this elevation has been directly linked to neuro decline. If your LDL is elevated, your body and your mind could be at risk. Check with your doctor to see if your diet, exercise, weight and habits need tweaking to bring levels back down. Dementia has also been linked to diabetes, so do all you can to keep your blood sugar within a normal range. Avoid Toxins It should come as no surprise that the major toxins which hurt the body also hurt the mind. If an ailing mind is of concern to you, then it is very important to stop using tobacco products of any kind. It’s also wise to drink in moderation as heavy alcohol use is often linked to dementia. The only healthy regime would be moderate red wine, one 1 to 2 glasses every couple of days with friends. When kept in safe quantities, there does seem to be a correlation between social drinking and mental health. Channel Your Inner Socialite Speaking of being social, there is also quite a bit of evidence to suggest hanging out with friends and new people is a great way to keep fresh synapses and mental stimulation. People with an active social life have been shown to live longer, healthier and more mentally alert lives. So get out there and start mingling!