Athena Wellness Podcast - Reclaiming Our Warrior Spirit

#028  Today is Wednesday, time for a little wellness boost - a shortened episode to keep your Warrior Vibe high.

Our conversation today is about how to capture creative stirrings so you always have a wellspring of inspiration.  The episode ends with the third of four updates from Dr. Robyn McIntyre and Kathy on how they did during Week 3 of the Gentle Spring Reset that we introduced in Episode 22.

Listeners are invited to join them in making small, positive adjustments to their wellness routines to mindfully welcome the new season. To get started, think about one small action you’d like to take to get ready for the change of season relating to either body, mind or spirit.  Something manageable but meaningful for where you are on your wellness journey – something that will have impact for you.

A two-page PDF that has examples as well as a place for you to track your progress that can be downloaded here.  Robyn and Kathy will continue to share their progress each Wednesday and invite listeners to share their progress by emailing their stories to [email protected].

Other Links Mentioned:

Foraged Feast

Norwich Meadows Farm

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe.  While you're there, you can rate the podcast by highlighting the stars that match your experience.  Much appreciated!

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit www.athenawellness.com/podcast.

#027  In this episode, Kathy shares another important component of holistic well-being, creative living, which is as critical to wellness as nutrition, movement and rest.  Creative living is all about the beauty and richness of life.  It’s about what “lights you up.”  It’s the good stuff.

 And… it’s the deep stuff.  Just like wellness – creativity is a process. What makes you feel creative is personal to you.

Here’s what we’ll be talking about today:

• The basics: What is creativity?  Where can you find it?  How can you hone it?
• The positive correlation between creativity and wellness and the impact of suppressing creative expression
• How to incorporate creativity into your busy days and ways to cultivate a creative, inspiring life.

By the end of this episode, I hope you’ll consider making creativity part of your wellness plan so you can be well by filling your creative well.

Links mentioned during the show:

Holistic Wellness Spectrum (Note: scroll down to the bottom of the page)

Study – 2010 The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature

 Study – 2014 Can Musical Training Influence Brain Connectivity?

 Study - Optimism and Well-being

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe. 

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit:
https://athenawellness.com/podcast

#026  Today is Wednesday, time for a little wellness boost - a shortened episode to keep your Warrior Vibe high.

Our conversation today is about how to fall back to sleep when you find yourself tossing and turning in the middle of the night. The episode ends with the second of four updates from Dr. Robyn McIntyre and Kathy on how they did during Week 2 of the Gentle Spring Reset that we introduced in Episode 22.

Listeners are invited to join them in making small, positive adjustments to their wellness routines to mindfully welcome the new season. To get started, think about one small action you’d like to take to get ready for the change of season relating to either body, mind or spirit.  Something manageable but meaningful for where you are on your wellness journey – something that will have impact for you.

A two-page PDF that has examples as well as a place for you to track your progress that can be downloaded here.  Robyn and Kathy will continue to share their progress each Wednesday and invite listeners to share their progress by emailing their stories to [email protected].

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe.  While you're there, you can rate the podcast by highlighting the stars that match your experience.  Much appreciated!

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit www.athenawellness.com/podcast.

#025  In this episode, Kathy continues the discussion on more traditional wellness topics. In Episode 17, she talked about the three components of vitality, one of which was rest, an area we give little attention to but has a big impact on our wellness.

Think back to the last time you felt completely refreshed.  Maybe you had a lovely evening the night before, slept deeply for eight hours and opened your eyes feeling calm and ready to greet the day.  And that feel-good mood didn’t dissipate – you moved through your day with energy and in the kind of mood that was both accepting of what the day brought and creative in finding solutions.  If you’re like me, as amazing as those days are, they are not automatic.  Why is that?  That’s what we’ll be exploring today.

Today's episode is all about thinking more broadly about your fitness, including:

• The Basics - Sleep 101
• The link between rest and productivity
• How to incorporate rest into your day

By the end of this episode, you'll feel yourself inviting  rest and making space for it with restorative and soothing practices.  Perhaps you'll try any one of practices reviewed for five minutes at time and notice how you feel before and after.  Over time, you’ll start to feel lower stress and higher energy levels, which will also help deepen your sleep at night

Links mentioned during the show:

Self-care assessment

Consolations by David Whyte

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe. 

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit:
https://athenawellness.com/podcast

#024  Today is Wednesday, time for a little wellness boost - a shortened episode to keep your Warrior Vibe high.

Our conversation today is about ways to fall in love with moving your body and upping your feel-good vibe. And at the end, we'll have a check-in with Dr. Robyn on the progress we've both made with the Gentle Spring Reset that we introduced in Episode 22.

Themes explored to keep your feel-good exercise vibe high to stay motivated and active:

• Connecting with your exercise "Why"
• Moving in a way that feels good
• Trying something new
• Tracking progress
• Having options
• Utilizing self-compassion

Movement is a lifelong commitment. Fall in love with having more energy. Fall in love with feeling more strength, flexibility and balance. Fall in love with feeling healthier. Feeling good will keep you going.

The episode ends with the first of four updates from Dr. Robyn McIntyre and Kathy on how they did during Week 1 of the Gentle Spring Reset.

Listeners are invited to join them in making small, positive adjustments to their wellness routines to mindfully welcome the new season.

To get started, think about one small action you’d like to take to get ready for the change of season relating to either body, mind or spirit.  Something manageable but meaningful for where you are on your wellness journey – something that will have impact for you.

A two-page PDF that has examples as well as a place for you to track your progress that can be downloaded here.  Robyn and Kathy will continue to share their progress each Wednesday and invite listeners to share their progress by emailing their stories to [email protected].

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe.  While you're there, you can rate the podcast by highlighting the stars that match your experience.  Much appreciated!

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit www.athenawellness.com/podcast.

#023  In this episode, Kathy continues the discussion on more traditional wellness topics. In Episode 17, she talked about the three components of vitality, one of which was exercise.  The word exercise itself can be heavy - feeling like a "should" and wrapped in guilt when it's not done.

But there's great news:  you can stop doing the exercise you dread. There are lots of ways to stay healthy and fit as you age and get the recommended 150 to 300 minutes of movement each week.

Today's episode is all about thinking more broadly about your fitness, including:

• The Basics - Exercise 101
• The importance of functional training
• Fun ways to incorporate functional movement into the day, including a brainstorming exercise.

By the end of this episode, you will be able to create a fitness routine based on your personal preferences, including activities that are fun and impactful for you while being workable in the structure of your life. Because what's the best exercise? The one you keep doing!

Links mentioned during the show:

U.S. Guidelines on Physical Activity 

Harvard Medical School – Exercise Can Add Years to Your Life

Article: Just 2.5 Hours of Exercise Each Week Will Significantly Improve Your Life

Standing Desk

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe. 

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit:
https://athenawellness.com/podcast

#022  Today is Wednesday, time for a little wellness boost - a shortened episode to keep your Warrior Vibe high.

In this episode, Kathy is joined once again by Dr. Robyn McIntyre and invite the listening audience to join them in making small, positive adjustments to their wellness routines to mindfully welcome the new season.

To get started, think about one small action you’d like to take to get ready for the change of season relating to either body, mind or spirit.  Something manageable but meaningful for where you are on your wellness journey – something that will have impact for you.

A two-page PDF that has examples as well as a place for you to track your progress that can be downloaded here.  Robyn and Kathy will be sharing their progress each Wednesday and invite listeners to share their progress by emailing their stories to [email protected].

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe.  While you're there, you can rate the podcast by highlighting the stars that match your experience.  Much appreciated!

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit www.athenawellness.com/podcast.

#021  In this episode, Kathy welcomes Dr. Robyn McIntyre, a New Zealand and Australian trained family physician with more than 30 years of experience.  Dr. Robyn is a proponent of lifestyle medicine, which means using the way we live as a means of preventing and treating disease.

Dr. Robyn and Kathy have been co-presenting at a number of wellness webinars for different organizations. This episode includes much of what they've shared with those audiences. 

Here are the themes we explore: 

• What is wellness, well-being and optimal well-being?
• What is our natural state of wellness?
• What can negatively impact our wellness?
• What role does self-compassion play in enhancing wellness?
• What are some strategies for enhancing wellness?

The show concludes with the Dose of Inspiration segment where Robyn shares some of the things that are lighting her up these days.

Links mentioned during the show:

www.DrRobynHealthCoach.com 

The Gift – Dr. Edith Eva Eger

The Choice – Dr. Edith Eva Eger

Wellness Models by Dr. Robyn and Kathy

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe. 

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit:
https://athenawellness.com/podcast

#020  Today is Wednesday, time for a little wellness boost - a shortened episode to keep your Warrior Vibe high.

In this episode, Kathy shares practical advice for preparing nutritious food in advance so busy weeks are less stressful and more healthful.

Themes covered include:

• Preparing a week's worth of meals
• Keeping necessary staples on hand
• Having "grab and go" snacks handy
• Using a basic shopping list as a starting point
• Having reputable vendors as a back-up

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe.  While you're there, you can rate the podcast by highlighting the stars that match your experience.  Much appreciated!

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit www.athenawellness.com/podcast.

#019  In this episode, Kathy continues a series of discussions on more traditional wellness topics, focusing on nutrition and the lessons we can learn from how our ancestors lived.

Here are the themes we explore: 

• Looking back to see what we can learn from our ancestors about healthy living
• Looking forward to the challenges of eating in the 21st century
• Simple and practical suggestions for eating healthier
• Three things that can make a big impact on your wellness
• The benefits of incorporating wild foods into your diet

"Let food be thy medicine." Hippocrates

Links mentioned during the show:

Michael Pollan’s Rules for Eating

CDC Improving Your Eating Habits

Lose It! Food Tracking App

Mediterranean Diet 101 Brochure

Blue Zones Power 9

If you'd like to join our circle and never miss a weekly episode, please hit subscribe. 

For episode materials, show notes or to submit a question for a future episode, visit:
https://athenawellness.com/podcast