Tag: water

Friday, June 4

Today is Friday, June 4, 2021. Herbs are planted and growing. A great day to taste new flavors.

Try something new in June. Try new flavors:

    • Experiment in the kitchen using new spices for vegetables and/or proteins: smoked paprika, sumac, turmeric, garam masala, harissa, Sichuan pepper, sriracha, cardamom, coriander, ginger
    • Enjoy the process of cooking a new (online) recipe with ingredients you already have.
    • Create a flavor infused water: basil + strawberry, mint + cucumber, lime + coconut, rosemary + blueberry, etc. Lemon can be added to any of these too.

Photo by Laura Cortesi

Recharge yourself and share positive energy when you repeat: 

“I am [*Name*].  I am open to the positive energy around me. I appreciate myself and others as I connect with love and kindness. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness and compassion to all people including me. Together, we can do great things.”

A quote by Plautus, “Spice a dish with love and it pleases every palate.”

Use this Mindfulness Activity to Re-energize your Body and Mind:  

    • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.
    • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.
    • Clasp your hands, palms together, fingers intertwined and squeeze your hands tight and hold for a count of three and then release.
    • Stretch out your fingers and hands and wiggle them.
    • Massage your palms and hands. Smile internally.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Wednesday, May 19

Today is Wednesday, May 19, 2021. Midweek brisk stroll through the neighborhood. Love passing the pond and seeing the ducks.

During the month of May, we are focusing on routines.  Routines can anchor us, decrease stress, foster creativity, prioritize self-care, and allow time to pursue our passions!  This week we look at routines to boost you during your active hours, when you are working or studying or practicing.

To thrive, it helps to have routines to hydrate throughout the day. 

    • At the start of the day, fill up a cup or water bottle and keep it within easy reach to simplify staying hydrated.
    • After a bathroom break, hydrate your body by drinking water.
    • When you need to refill your cup or water bottle, take the long way to walk a few extra steps or walk up or downstairs.
    • Fill a pitcher of water with slices of fruit, vegetables and/or herbs for a refreshing recharge.
    • If your activity tracker reminds you to stand up, enjoy a sip of water too.

Photo by Miguel Alcantara

Recharge yourself and share positive energy when you repeat: 

“I am [*Name*].  I am open to the positive energy around me. I appreciate myself and others as I connect with love and kindness. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness and compassion to all people including me. Together, we can do great things.”

A quote by Thomas Edison, “If we did all the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves.”

Use this Mindfulness Activity to Re-energize your Body and Mind:  

    • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.
    • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.
    • Cross your arms across your chest, hands on opposite shoulders, giving yourself a big hug.
    • While still holding your shoulders, bring your chin to your chest and let gravity pull down on your elbows and release the back of your shoulders into a gentle stretch.
  • Release your arms, uncurl, roll your shoulders back, open your palms out. Bring your chin up and smile.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Monday May 3

Today is Monday May 3, 2021. Lily of the Valley is the birth flower for May.  It represents the return to happiness and sweetness.

During the month of May, we will focus on routines.  Routines can anchor us, decrease stress, foster creativity, prioritize self-care, and allow time to pursue our passions!  For the first week we will look at our wake- up routine, beginning today with water. 

    • During sleep we are not able to hydrate, so it’s important to rehydrate with water soon after we wake.
    • Adequate hydration is essential for concentration and focus. Grab a cup or reusable water bottle to make it easy to stay hydrated all day long.
    • Consider a cooler shower, it will energize you and get your ready for the day.

Photo by: Jeffrey Hamilton

Recharge yourself and share positive energy when you repeat: 

“I am [*Name*].  I am open to the positive energy around me. I appreciate myself and others as I connect with love and kindness. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness and compassion to all people including me. Together, we can do great things.”

A quote by Eleanor Roosevelt: “With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.”

Use this Mindfulness Activity to Re-energize your Body and Mind:  

    • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.    
    • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.   
    • Wherever you are, pause, and notice everything in your favorite color.
    • Take another deep breath and continue on.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Monday, October 19

Today is Monday, October 19, 2020. Walking by the pond, watching the ducks and geese communing, some seem more relaxed and happier than others.

For the month of October, we continue to share Mindful Monday with you.

Today, we recognize the value of teaching young children to meditate to help them with their thoughts and feelings so that they can better focus and learn, as well as relax, rest and play. Children can learn to meditate remarkably quickly using their imagination.

Tejal V. Patel teaches children to meditate with a suggestion to sit cross-legged and imagine putting on a jacket and zipping it up all the way up (straightens the spine). Imagine putting on sunglasses by making circles with thumb and forefinger on each hand and placing them over the eyes and looking far out. Then, take the “sunglasses” off and rest a “lens” on each knee. Follow with deep belly breaths, saying “aah” with every breath out.

Children can learn deep breathing by imagining they are slowly blowing up a balloon or gently blowing on candles to make the flame flicker slightly. They can learn to relax their muscles when they are laying down and seeing how long they can make their body, reaching arms up and toes really long, stretching longer and then releasing. Children can create characters to represent feelings. They can name them and visualize those characters and watch them on a boat or train to get perspective and see them float, glide or speed by.

An inspirational Quote from Prasad Mahes, “The mind is like water. When it is turbulent, it’s difficult to see. When it’s calm, everything becomes clear.”

Photo by: Yannis Papanastasopoulos

Recharge yourself when you repeat:    

“I am [*Name*]. I am resilient and learning every day. I am part of the global community. I love myself because I have kindness and love in my heart and soul. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness out to all people. We are all connected. We can be resilient together.”

The Mindfulness Activity to practice this week to create Calm Moments:  

  • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.
  • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.
  • Allow yourself to breathe slowly and calmly, pausing after each breath in, and then pausing again after each breath out.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Wednesday, September 9

Today is Wednesday, September 9, 2020.  The aster, which represents love, wisdom, valor and faith, is one of September’s birth flowers.  

Inspiration: A Quote from Crystal Middlemas, “Love like a river, will cut a new path whenever it meets and obstacle.”

Photo by: Yoksel Zok

It is Self-Care September! This month, we offer prompts to energize your self-care routine. We invite you to experiment with any or all the suggested activities to invigorate, your mind, body and spirit.

Self-Care Activity:  Refresh yourself with sensory immersion. Find a way to engage and truly experience multiple senses simultaneously: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch.

Experience water in different lighting or setting – candlelit bath or shower, evening swim, early morning sprinkler exposure. Drink water with cucumber outside, wash vegetables by candlelight, soak your feet in warm water at dusk. Notice your sensory experience. How many senses can you engage? How do you feel? How many feelings do you feel?

Recharge yourself when you repeat:    

“I am [*Name*]. I am resilient and learning every day. I am part of the global community. I love myself because I have kindness and love in my heart and soul. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness out to all people. We are all connected. We can be resilient together.”

The Mindfulness Activity to practice this week to create Calm Moments:  

    • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.
    • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.
    • Practice the Mountain Meditation to connect with your inner strength and stability.
      1. Envision a mountain, see the intricate details of the mountain.
      2. Bring the majesty of the mountain inside of you, and be one with the mountain.
      3. Feel the strength and stability of the mountain.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP