SPRING IS HERE!!

Its spring and its time to venture our little groundhog butts outside and breathe in the fresh air (albeit full of pollen at the moment). I am so excited to bust out the kayak and get out on the water, not to mention getting my garden full and plenty with fresh veggies!

Over the month of April I would like to make use of this beautiful weather and move my yoga practice and exercise routine outside. I want to encourage you to do the same by participating in Active April with me. Whenever you find yourself doing any sort of activity, snap a picture and post it to one of the many social media platforms with the hashtag #ActiveApril. Try to do something everyday, set an intention or goal to reach by the end of April and don’t stop until you get there.

This weekend I am off to run my second half marathon in Raleigh and I can’t wait to add that to my list of achievements for the year!

 

I recently had the honor of being approached by Cotopaxi, an outdoor gear company that helps fund sustainable poverty alleviation through the sale of products such as their backpacks by providing grants to advance healthcare, education, and livelihood initiatives around the world. Check them out and buy some new gear for your next outdoor adventure!

They explained to me that each year WHO, World Health Organization, chooses one of the many global health concerns to promote awareness world wide by educating the prevention and treatments of these diseases. This year WHO is marking their annual World Health Day (April 7th) by issuing a call for action on Diabetes. According to WHO, “The number of people living with diabetes has almost quadrupled since 1980 to 422 million adults, with most living in developing countries.” Cotopaxi is doing their part and asking us to do ours by promoting healthy habits everyday.

I personally have family members who have developed type 2 diabetes due to poor eating habits and lack of exercise. In recent years my Mom has been able to decrease her dependency on medications by implementing less saturated fats and processed foods in her diet, and getting out for a walk every night. I can’t stress healthy eating enough! Try growing your food if you can or buy local produce and meats. A nice little Health Tip I like to do when grocery shopping is “Stick To The Perimeter.” Shop in the fresh departments around the outside of the store and avoid the processed food aisles if at all possible. Give it a try and check out Cotopaxi’s Journey to Good Health, Health Tips Made Simple below!

Go forth and conquer World Health Day!!