So you know that balance thing I talk about..

Well.. as you can see I am far from perfect and haven’t done a very good job of it..embarrassed to even think about how long it’s been since I’ve taken the time to write..I am pretty sure it was my last vacation week when I had a moment to breathe and actually think!

How is it mid July? I’m sitting on the balcony enjoying the sounds of the bay crashing up against the dock, my quiet time where my husband said all I do is smile in our happy place that we visit this time every year. As I sit here all I can think about is how all of those things that I always “want” to do.. I put off for all the things I “have”to do. In my what I guess is called “free time” everything else comes up .. food prep, laundry, activities… totally get it.. it’s a part of life and I have constant lists that I’m checking off at home and work daily .There’s never enough time in a day.. or a week.. or at this point when you look back and months pass you by. I make sure that I do all of those important things (to me in my crazy mind) to make sure my husband and my kids are taken care of.. but what about me? I think I’ve been saying I am going to start exercising again for maybe 2 years now? Ugh.. always a reason to put it on the back burner.. but if mommy isn’t spending the time on the things to keep me healthy and thriving then how the heck am I going to keep this family healthy and thriving? And as a coach I know what I need to be my best self, yet somehow myself comes last! I am sure there are plenty of you with me in the same boat and I hope we can all find a way to make that same time for US that we give our families and friends and clients ❤️

I get little reminders when I have family or friends reach out to me to ask me questions about food or ingredients in something or about different brands to purchase.. it makes me happy to know there’s people out there that truly value my opinion and more importantly trust my judgement with their personal self care and their families! I sometimes wish I had the time to truly follow my passion and DIVE in full speed ahead, but like anything else, you need to take time and things will happen as they should.

This week is a perfect reboot for me.. when I come here i do everything I love to do..

Spend much needed time with my husband and kids (we even made a family vacation bucket list)

I get some alone time on the balcony and on bike rides and on my daily walks to everywhere I love to go! And it’s a plus because I get to exercise too!

We eat at all of our favorite places.. most of our list revolves around food!

It also reminds me that time flies.. doesn’t feel like too long ago I was doing these same things.. taking the same pictures of scenery and my family.. except now my kids look SO much older.. in just one year!!

How do we make sure that other than vacation time we focus on the things that truly make us happy?

How do we make enough time in a day or at least in a week to check all the boxes for those things we know are so important to our health and happiness? Even just one box??

In my professional life I am so routine and accountability is how I function. Without it all I would fall apart, yet somehow in my home life I allow myself excuses to put myself on the side as long as everyone else is on point.

Funny enough as I was shopping the local antique store in town, I came across a book (well my 6 year old noticed it) that I could NOT pass up.. 52 Lists for Happiness

Weekly Journaling, Inspiration for Positivity, Balance, and Joy by Moorea Seal

As I said.. I am HUGE on accountability and making lists! There’s something about writing things down and then highlighting them that they are completed or checking the box! Except this time.. this book is different.. it’s not my planner with different pen colors to show which family member the event is for to keep me organized .. and it’s not my work planner with everything happening in my work week.. it’s a journal for me.. for every week of the year.. to reflect, acknowledge, invest and transform while each week taking action on things outside of my routine that will make me happy and keep me balanced. I felt the need to purchase it.. only because i feel it was there for me.. it’s not a book store..there wasn’t a ton of this same book..if I didn’t pick it up then it may not be there if I went back tomorrow! Not that I needed it but I LOVE that if forces you to think about YOU and take action on

YOU!

Why do we strive for perfection with everyone and everything outside of ourselves?

How can we commit to ourselves the way we commit to everyone and everything else?

Leaving vacation this week I once again have cleared my mind and set some goals for myself .. 1 commitment a week FOR ME only. I ask that you do the same for you..

Xo,

Lisa

Spring is all about renewal and embracing what’s now.. Spring means Green, New Life, and New Beginnings. Each season something is invented or created so as we sit through the cold and rain we can look forward to what’s ahead!

I hope everyone is having a great Spring Break week! It’s been a busy couple weeks so I’ve been a bit absent. I was lucky enough to take the week home with the kids although I am sure they would prefer we were on vacation somewhere warm and sunny! In the Northeast it sure doesn’t feel like spring.. cold, rainy, we have even seen and are still expecting snow! Although it wasn’t the weather I hoped for, this week still served a purpose for me..

For me.. this week I pushed the reset button. I don’t know about you.. but if my house isn’t in order, my brain is all over the place! I have a to-list a mile long that I just never take the time to check off!

Organizing and donating clothes is probably the biggest to do each season and Spring seems like the perfect time to do so! Don’t throw things away.. there’s always someone in need.. all it takes is a few clicks on your phone and you can have anything you are looking to purge picked up right at your door step! I recommend donating to the VVA at www.pickupplease.org This is a respected charity that gives aid to all of America’s veterans, not just those of a particular age group or war. By donating you help generate funds to take care of the soldiers and service men and woman who help keep America safe from harm! So while feeling good about about checking off an item off your list, you can also feel good about helping those in need! Win-Win in my book!

A good deep cleaning by room is another big check off the list and my idea of “Feng Shui”. I feel so good when I can walk into my house and it just feels clean and fresh! I’m reading a great book right now that really helps you understand how to accomplish this.. more to come on this once i finish it!

With all this being said I am also using this week to work on myself… as I’ve mentioned to you with working and being a mom, everything else comes first.. it’s so important that I also focus on ME and you all focus on YOU! What does this mean? Actually a few things.. for me it’s means that I concentrate on feeding myself properly and that I am practicing what I work through with everyone else.. seems easy.. but it doesn’t always happen..it’s means that I stay focused and give myself the time I deserve to work on the “to-dos” that I LOVE, not just the ones mentioned above that NEED to happen to stay organized as a household. I’m so grateful to have this time this week to accomplish all of this and give myself the jumpstart I need as we settle into a new season.. a new beginning.

Now the question is.. are you taking the time to focus on YOU? While we are all busy running our households, busy being great parents and or spouses, maintaining careers, relationships etc, we still must do those “to-dos” that actually make YOU happy..make YOU smile and feel confident.. make YOU feel accomplished as an individual. If the answer is no then what better time then now to start..

We are in this together… Let’s do this!

Xo

Lisa

I don’t know about you but I REALLY seem to have a hard time staying consistent with my daily water intake.. I go through my phases where I am really good at it.. I even figured out that I get it down more often and easier with the use of my Swell bottle so it’s cold! However I always fall back into my old habits of just not drinking enough.. some days none at all if you can even believe that!

Of course I know all of the benefits health wise of why I should be drinking water and I coach to the importance of this as well.. but as you know, sometimes we are really good at taking care of everyone else and we come last. Where I seem to succeed is through knowing I have an accountability partner and now the good news is that’s ALL OF YOU! As much as I hope to help YOU on your journey, YOU will be a support system to me as well so thank you!

Being dehydrated causes so many issues that we don’t even realize.. weight gain, headaches, fatigue, digestion issues, skin problems.. the list goes on and on.

This week I challenge you to start really paying attention to how much water you really take in.. if you are a soda drinker or drink anything with flavors and or sugars, try to crowd those things out drinking LESS of them and add in MORE water. I am not asking you to give anything up as of now.. just add in more water.. Keep a journal of how you feel now and how you start to feel as you add more of this into your day!

Would love to hear from you on how you are doing with this and I will share as well here as well as through social media pages! Looking forward to staying hydrated with you! #drinkmorewater #12stepstobetterhealth #IINhealthcoach #gracefullybalancedhealth #accountabilitypartner

Xo,

Lisa

Let me start with how EASY it is to make your own almond milk at home vs having to purchase it from the store. On top of the fact that it is SO much healthier and free of the chemicals, sugars and preservatives that are put into those you buy!What you need:Strong blender (I have my vitamix that I am obsessed with)Cheesecloth or nut bags (you can order these online or even find in your local grocery store)Raw almonds (organic and unpasteurized if possible)Filtered water (I use Fiji if I need to use bottled)How to make:Take 1 cup of Almonds and soak overnight in water Next day you can drain the water and place the soaked almonds in the blender with 3-4 cups of new water (3 if you want thicker, 4 if you want it a little thinner)Now take a bowl and place a piece of cheesecloth over it and then start to pour the blended almond milk into it, letting it strain the milk. Pull the cheesecloth up and squeeze it in order to get the most juice you can from the almonds before discarding. Once the milk is drained add it to a jar and store for up to 3 days!Being this is a few steps and almonds could be expensive, we do not make it everyday.. I make it once or twice a month to use in breakfast or meal replacement smoothies! However I feel better knowing what ingredients I am taking in and there’s nothing better than making it yourself!Enjoy!Xo,Lisa

I don’t know about you but I dread flu season the minute the school year starts. All I do is constantly tell my kids the same things a million times daily.. wash your hands, get your fingers out of your month, keep your hands away from your face, use your elbow when you cough, did I mention wash your hands? It’s exhausting!!! However I think now that they are getting older it’s nice to see they sort of get it.. we wash our hands the minute we walk in from school. We are not a sanitizer family.. we stick to soap and water! Unless we are out.. then wet wipes are our friend. They RUN for their probiotics at night being it’s a routine and all they know.

And guess what.. my little one got the flu! Some things are just out of our control..

After going through it I wanted to share a few easy things to help keep you healthy during flu season or help you fight illness naturally if it hits your home:

•Wash your hands with soap and water every time you get home from places or come in contact with a sick person and use separate towels or disposable towels. Seems simple however so easy to forget!

•If anyone in school has been sick, take school clothes off and bathe right away.

•Take a probiotic every night before bed- we choose to do this so it absorbs overnight while the body is resting. My entire family takes them! A few notes on this:

1. Obviously if you have any medical issues you should work with your doctor before taking anything.

2. Be aware of which products you are buying. Just because it’s marketed for children or all natural for adults doesn’t mean that’s the case- look for products that need to be refrigerated as well as have no natural flavors, no coloring or syrups.

Recommendation- Pure Encapsulations

•Use essential oils- you can diffuse them in the house or use them topically.

Immunity blends are great for this time of year as well as the following:

Peppermint- Relieves headaches caused by congestion

Eucalyptus- Serves as a decongestant- soothes respiratory issues

Oregano- Antibacterial- fights sinus infections

1. Take a steamy 15 minute shower -you can place 10 drops on your shower floor or on a wash cloth on the floor and breathe it in with the steam.

•Cut up an onion and place around the home- it will adsorb all of the toxins in the air as well as helps minimize coughing (again this has worked for us and I have a bigger post coming on the power of the onion)

•Raw honey- this is a natural antioxidant and has antibacterial properties that benefit the digestive system. This is a cough and sore throat remedy as well.

1. You can take a spoonful daily (do not feed to your children without checking with doctor)

2. You can add to a tea- I use a lot with an organic black tea.

•Lemons-these are loaded with vitamin C

1. You can add to your hot tea or add to a glass of warm water.

•Ginger root-this contains a compound that helps reduce inflammation.

1. You can make a fresh hot tea with this and add the honey and lemon.

•Elderberry-this contains chemical compounds called anthocyanidins, which are known to have immunostimulant effects.

To note-

1. Always research to ensure you are purchasing the cleanest options.

2. Before taking anything always check with your doctor first.

•Avoid overly processed foods, colors, high fructose syrups and any items you can not pronounce on a label as these items lower immunity levels. Try to feed yourself as many whole foods , fruits and vegetables to build immunity back up while it is compromised. Organic and Non-GMO are best if you can!

•Homemade chicken soup- I know this is not a true proven preventative however it works for us-we make soup in my home every week and I believe it helps keep everyone feeling good

Gracefully Balanced Homemade Chicken Soup-

1 whole organic chicken

1 whole organic onion

Organic carrots- peeled and cut (always buy the whole carrots and cut and peel yourself)

Organic celery

Throw all ingredients in pot and cook on low

On the side add another more onion, carrots and celery to vitamix/ or blender with water and blend- blending the vegetables before they are hot allows them to hold more of the nutrients AND the kids are getting more vegetables than they think!

Add organic chicken broth or stock of choice -I have started using Pacific Organic Chicken broth as a substitute until I perfect my own bone broth (it’s on the to do list)

You can also use any organic and Non-GMO pasta or rice if you don’t want to just eat it plain! In an Italian Family we cant help it, we love our pasta.. and our grated cheese.. remember it’s ok.. it’s called balance!

•Green Smoothies- During Flu season I have to say our “go to” smoothies are called nothing other than the “Flu Fighter”. I literally make this every day and my kids even like it. My older one drinks it and for my little one, I freeze it in a pop holder and she eats it frozen. Win win.. whatever works!

This is a great recipe that I have from our friends over at Simple Green Smoothies! Enjoy! www.simplegreensmoothies.com

Flu Fighter ingredients:

2 cups fresh Kale

1 1/2 cups water

1 banana 🍌

2 oranges 🍊 peeled

1 cup strawberries 🍓

Directions-

Blend kale, water and oranges together until smooth

Add remaining ingredients and blend again

*Use atleast 1 frozen fruit to make the smoothie cold (I usually use strawberries)-Serves 2

I hope some of these simple tips help you and your family get through this season as healthy as possible!

Xo

Lisa

How are we almost closing out month one of the new year? I swear back in May when I was “officially” certified as a holistic health coach I said to myself that I would start a blog and get myself out there.. i knew nothing about starting a blog yet I knew I wanted to have my own just because I wanted a space to share and educate those individuals that have my same interests. I had already picked a name which I love because I truly feel it’s a perfect fit. It incorporates the name Grace which is meaningful to me as it was my grandmothers name.. and I preach about balance.. we all need it.. no matter where you are in your life, if we aren’t balanced we can’t not function or be happy for that matter! So Gracefully Balanced was born💚

For me working full time and being a wife and mommy of two, I kept putting this whole passion of mine on the back burner. Trying to stay balanced with being a great everything to everyone.. however somethings will always fall to the wayside and usually it’s yourself! In this case I have done a pretty good job this past year of giving my all to both my home and my job however where I failed to make time was for me! I am genuinely in my glory every single time I have had the chance to talk to someone about anything regarding a holistic approach to wellness.

I truly believe that food is medicine and I also believe that you need to balance and live and enjoy as well! You will learn that I am a crazy label reader.. I have this idea that I will become a food activist one day and help make a difference in our food regulations. It drives me up a wall to know how many things we allow in our foods yet they are banned in other countries! I am that person in my local Wegmans that spends a good two hours shopping just because I truly enjoy it! My mission is to help families live a healthier more balanced lifestyle in a practical way. What I mean by that is I can help educate you on labels and which ingredients to stay away from. I can help you find substitutions for those things you love however are not made with ingredients to keep us well. I will give you ideas on meals and recipes for those meals if you would like. Any tips or tricks I have learned along the way in my research as well as my education with IIN! I am here to share with you.. to get to know you.. and to hopefully help support you or teach you something each time you visit me at Gracefully Balanced.

Xo

Lisa