Take Time For Yourself Today

International Self-Care Day was developed in 2011 by the International Self-Care Foundation as a day for everyone to be mindful of their health. This can be a simple bubble bath, a walk around the neighborhood, yoga, or anything that can help put your mind at ease. People are opening up about the importance of self care for your mental and physical health. Nowadays, everyone is too busy taking care of everything or everyone else in their life and forget about themselves. This is a day to be a little selfish by indulging on a little self care.

Here’s a few things we are doing for our self care

HONEY VANILLA BUBBLE BATH

1/2 cup light Manuka almond oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup mild liquid hand or body soap (Dr. Bronner’s is my fave)
1 egg white
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Combine ingredients and pour 1/4 to 1/2 cup under running water. Keep excess in the refrigerator.

CHOCOLATE FACE MASK

Chocolate Face Mask

1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1/4 Cup Manuka Honey
1/4 Cup Strawberry Yogurt (or any flavor)

HOW TO MAKE A CHOCOLATE FACE MASK

Grab a small mixing bowl and Combine 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup Manuka honey and 1/4 cup yogurt in a small mixing bowl. Stir until it turns into a liquid mask.
After stirring if it looks like dough add in a bit more yogurt to get it to a creamy consistency.
Apply your face and allow it to soak into your skin for 15 minutes.
Rinse and enjoy the smell of your chocolate fresh skin.

10 MINUTE YOGA FLOW

1.TADASANA

Mountain Pose is a great place to start. Ground your feet and press evenly through all four corners of each foot. Stretch your arms towards the floor and draw your abdominals in and up.

Hold for five to eight breaths to get focused and ready to move deeper.

2. URDHVA HASTASANA

From Mountain Pose, lift your arms up overhead and press your palms firmly together. Keep the tops of your shoulders released away from your ears and activate your triceps. Keep the abdominals engaged and the legs firm.

Hold for five to eight breaths.

3. WARRIOR I

Warriors are always awesome to do in the AM. Warriors give us confidence and strength and help us connect to our own inner strength.

From Urdhva Hastasana, step your left foot back one of your own leg’s length apart. Press the outer left foot in to the mat as you lunge your right knee forward. The left foot should be pointing at a seventy-five degree angle. Make sure the knee stays above the ankle.

Hold for five to eight breaths.

4. WARRIOR II

From Warrior I Pose on the right side, open the arms, hips, and waist to the side as you gaze forward over your right hand. Your back toes can open up a bit more than seventy-five degrees, but keep the toes a little forward of the heel still. Make sure the front knee doesn’t roll in. Draw your abs in and and keep the torso even between the legs.

Stay and breathe for five to eight deep breaths.

5.TRIANGLE

triangle

From Warrior II, straighten the front leg and hinge forward placing the hand on the knee, shin, or a block. Imagine yourself between two narrow walls.

Hold for five to eight breaths, then come back up to standing.

6. EXTENDED SIDE ANGLE

Re-bend the front knee and place the outer right forearm on the upper right thigh. Extend the top arm overhead and lengthen from the outer edge of the left foot all the way through the left fingers.

Hold for five to eight breaths.

Drop your hands alongside the front foot and step forward, folding in to both legs. Come back up through Urdhva Hastasana and repeat postures 3-6 on the left side.

7. DOWNWARD DOG

After doing the postures on the left side, instead of folding forward, place both hands on the floor on either side of the left foot from Extended Side Angle and step the left foot back to meet the right as you come into Downward Facing Dog Pose.

Press firmly into your hands and roll your upper arms outwards. Lengthen up through your torso and keep your abdominals engaged. Actively use your legs to keep bringing your torso back in space.

Hold here for eight to ten breaths.

8. FOREARM PLANK

From Downward Facing Dog Pose, roll out to Plank (or drop to hands and knees) and place your forearms on the floor. Make sure your body forms a straight line from head to toe.

Keep your abdominals engaged and hold for thirty to sixty seconds to fire up your powerhouse for the day.

9.COBRA

Lower down to your belly from forearm plank, walk your hands slightly forward if need be, and lift your chest up into a Baby Cobra. Pull your shoulder blades together and down your back and breathe into the front of your body.

Hold for five breaths, lower down and repeat two more times.

10. CHILD’S POSE

Finish by pressing back to Child’s Pose to stretch the entire back body and focus on what you would like to achieve for the day. Stay as long as you can, or want to, and finish with Savasana, or press to stand and roll up for an incredible day.

INDULGE ON YOUR FAVORITE DESSERT

HONEY OATMEAL COOKIES

chewy honey cookies

Oatmeal Cookies are one of my favorite desserts because they are easy to make and you can leave them simple or add some fun! In this recipe I added chocolate and butterscotch chips. I also cut the sugar in half by substituting our Manuka Honey. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

YIELD: Makes 24 cookies

INGREDIENTS