Wow! It's amazing how much can change in three years. Despite the smiling face these photos portray, this time three years ago I was a heartbroken train wreck and had no idea what self love was. I had subconsciously given away my power and put my worth in that someone else loved me, and so when that was no longer true I was like a ship lost out at sea, utterly destructive.

I look back on this time now with so much gratitude for the people and the process. I was loved and supported by so many of my dearest friends & family who knew I'd come out on the other side. I know I hurt some people (including a piñata, but that's another story!) and was often difficult to be around. I was angry and sad, but they didn't cast me out completely. There came a point early on in the healing when who I wanted to be became very clear. I could see it, but I still had to go through the healing process, live with the questions, navigate the dark waters, and then be able to stand firm on my own two feet, look myself in the eyes and say I. LOVE. YOU. I did this through yoga, dance, breath, meditation, connecting with nature, leaning on friends, lots of chocolate, through feeling it all and sometimes feeling nothing, but always choosing to rise.

So today no matter where you are in the process of life know there is hope and - should you chose - it's a sacred opportunity. As stated in this beautiful song, "You can't rush your healing. Darkness has its teachings. Love is never leaving. You can't rush your healing." (Trevor Hall) Take all that you can from every experience to learn, to grow, and to find gratitude.

​There are a dozen different inspirational quotes I could put here, but this was the one that kept coming back to me at the time: "Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer." - Rainer Maria Rilke

There are few topics I am more passionate about than providing awareness and education in regards to depression.  I never sought out to become versed in natural treatments or support for those who struggle with depression, however I feel like it chose me. Though I have never dealt with the condition personally, I have a deep personal connection to the havoc it can reap on one's mind and body.  

My first expereince with depression was in 1990 when I was eight years old while on our way to the state hospital to visit my mother. We had gathered things we thought she might enjoy doing while there: a sketch pad, colored pencils, drawing tutorials, sewing and embroidery supplies. Tokens of her life outside the hospital. It wasn't until years later that I learned my mom had been admitted for threatening to take her life. Soon after, she came home and life continued on as usual for the next couple of years.  I won't take too much time here to describe the details of my mother's story as I shared about this in my post, Depression & Suicide Let's Talk About It, in regards to the stigma around the condition.  Unfortunately, my mom's story did not have a happy ending. She took her own life on April 11, 1997. 

As I reflect on her life, her story, and struggles she faced with depression now 20 years later, I know there is so much we could have done to help prevent and treat her condition. This knowledge and wisdom that I have gained is what I want to share with you today. 

When I think about health, wellness, happiness and especially depression I think about the mind, body, and spirit like the ocean - a swirling living pool affected by all the things we absorb and consume through our mouths, eyes, ears, skin, and hearts physically or energetically. Nothing exists in isolation in regards to the body and health. Thus, in order to prevent and treat a condition like depression we must take into account the entire spectrum of life:

1. Diet 
2. Rest
3. Exercise & Movement
4. Stress  Management
5. Work or Career
6. Community 
7. Relationships: romantic, family, friends, work

In this post I have compiled the words and research of several renowned medical doctors, nutritionists, and herbalists regarding diet and supplementation specifically  to back up my beliefs that to the general public may still seem too woo woo. But we like woo woo around here. 

First, I want to clear up a few things including antidepressants or SSRIs: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin and how they (don't) work and may even be causing more damage than good. I will let holistic women's health psychiatrist, and author of the New York Times bestseller, A Mind of Your Own, Dr. Kelly Brogan, MD explain:

"The predominant theory behind modern antidepressants is that they work by increasing the availability of serotonin, a neurotransmitter famously associated with mood, in the gaps between cells of the brain... This idea that these medication correct an imbalance that has something to do with a brain chemical has been so universally accepted that no one bothers to question it or even research it using modern rigors of science.  According to Dr. Joanna Moncrieff, we have been led to believe that these medication have disease based effects that they're actually fixing, curing, correcting a real disease in human physiology. Six decades of study, however, have revealed conflicting, confusing, and inconclusive data. That's right: there has never been a human study that successfully links low serotonin levels and depression...  In other words the serotonin theory of depression is a total myth that has unjustly been supported by the manipulation of data. Much to the contrary, high serotonin levels have been linked to a range of problems, including schizophrenia and autism." ​

​"We have been taught, as a culture, that depression is a chemical imbalance, that it is the “result” of us being deficient in chemicals called neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine. But most of the theories that have been advanced about neurotransmitter deficiencies as the cause of depression have never been proven. What we do know is that study after study is showing us something that the field of psychoneuroimmunology has been saying for over 25 years which is that inflammation is an underlying cause of so many of the medical conditions we are experiencing, and that there really is no separation between the immune and nervous systems." - Dr. Aviva Romm, MD

To read more and dig deeper on the science and research behind Dr. Brogans claims I highly recommend checking out her book, A Mind of Your Own. Enough about that and on to what we can do! 

Recent medical research points to a strong correlation between gut health and mind health. Studies suggest that a healthy stomach improves brain function and mood. This is because the enteric nervous system, located in the stomach, communicates directly with the brain. According to the journal, Scientific American, “The gut-brain access seems to be bidirectional – the brain acts on gastrointestinal and immune functions that help to shape the gut’s microbial makeup, and gut microbes make neuroactive compounds, including neurotransmitters and metabolites that also act on the brain.” In addition to cellular and physiological healing, nourishing foods support the human being on many other levels including how you feel emotionally, physically and mentally as well.  Mealtime provides the most basic sustaining rhythms of life. 

Below is a list of foods and supplements that work specifically to reduce the symptoms of depression, help reduce and prevent inflammation throughout the brain and body, and soothe and reduce your toxic load so that the body may heal. 

Stay tuned for a subsequent post where I will dive deeper into the topics of: 

1. Rest
2. Exercise & Movement
3. Stress  Management
4. Work or Career
5. Community 
6. Relationships: romantic, family, friends, work

​Be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars. In the noisy confusion of life keep peace in your soul. - Max Ehrmann

Much Love!
Jennifer 

Last fall I had the honor of attending the Moonflower Herbfest at the beautiful Alma de Mujer sanctuary in Austin, Texas with two of my dearest friends. This post serves to recap one of my favorite sessions, "How To Strengthen Your Spiritual Immune System" with Mary Ayodele. I had no idea what to expect or even what a spiritual immune system was, but I liked the sound of it. The moment I walked into the tent, which was packed to the gills, the high vibes were evident. I knew I was exactly where I needed to be. Mary exuded love, excitement, and positivity as she laid out these simple yet profound ways we can boost our spiritual immune system with not only herbs and foods, but also community and self care. 

My interpretation and understanding of what Mary calls the "spiritual immune system" refers to your mind, body and spirit's ability to withstand and THRIVE in life, through all its ups and downs, and to connect more deeply to yourself, your community, Mother Earth, and our purpose here on her soil. The tips below serve to support your diet and movement practices and will help to deeply nourish you on a soul level to find more joy, self love, gratitude, and vitality. 

​I am a firm believer health does not exist in isolation of diet, exercise, or spiritual practices. They must all be integrated, and the seven tips she offers here are an excellent way to fully round out your mind-body-spirit health.

Diet and exercise have long been the reining king and queen of attaining health, happiness and the body you've dreamed of. I will not dispute their vital roll in maintaining or returning to a state of wellbeing, however they are just two pieces of a much bigger pie. Dare I say, even the cleanest diet and strictest exercise regime will not lead you to the happiest, healthiest version of yourself without a dose of these less touted foundational elements being: stress management, self love, including listening and following your truth*. 

More often than not the root cause of your dis-ease is some form of stress. This is one of the big reasons why just diet and exercise are not the magic pill to health, healing, and happiness. Your body does not operate in isolated compartments and it doesn't respond well when you don't acknowledge, care for, and love all of its pieces. Everything you surround yourself with and consume including air, people's energy, emotions, stress, (lack of) self care, food, water, and beauty products affect your overall well being and is reflected in your mood, health, and life experience.

In childhood and early adulthood I struggled with severe stomach pain, nausea, nervousness, bloating, and more recently shoulder pain and tension. I was extremely shy and scared of pretty much everything. The stomach pain and nausea was often debilitating keeping me in bed and away from enjoying life. I went to doctors, was dosed with Dramamine and Pepto Bismol, and without fail spent the first few days of school in the bathroom vomiting. It would subside for a while, but as soon as a new stressor (school, parental conflict, death of my mother, new step family) was introduced the stabbing pains would begin again. In high school I added a few additional not-so-fun symptoms: cystic acne and excessive sweating. College came and things continued to worsen and symptoms would flair up when my roommate would belittle me or I had a big test coming up. It wasn't until I started to study nutrition (cutting out dairy, gluten, vegetable oils and processed foods), practice yoga, and learned to discover and stand in my truth that these symptoms began to subside. For the first time I was able to express myself without fear (pain, vomit, sweat, or acne). But this was a long journey and an ongoing process... 

So how and where do you even begin? 
When seeking to heal, you must assess your life on a WHOLE-istic macro level. Taking inventory of your diet, rest, exercise, and relationships is a a good place to start, but it must go deeper than that. Acknowledge the oneness and interconnectedness of your Mind-Body-Spirit and seek the root causes of stress and disconnection from your truth. True healing comes from deep within, and not from the trendiest diet or sexiest workout plan. 

Let's start with defining the three types of stress: 

1. Mental Emotional Stress: fear, worry, depression, excitement, anxiety, relationships, lack of purpose, covertness, negative perceptions, bad attitude, anger
2. Physical Stress: trauma, fractures, muscle injuries, weakness, nerve compression, positional injury, intense exercise, poor posture, accidents
3. Chemical Functional Stress: inflammatory foods, additives, pesticides, alcohol caffeine, prescription medications, recreational drugs, chemicals, metals, radiation, antibiotics, parasites, bacteria, fungi, viruses, over the counter meds, birth control

Common hidden stressors include: 

• Processed, non-organic food
• Invisible toxins in your water, air and personal care products
• Inadequate quality sleep
• Over-training and exercise
• Physical misalignment or tension in joints & muscles 
• Unknown parasites, bacteria, or yeast infections 
• Unresolved conflicts or emotions that you push aside and avoid 
• Difficult negative relationships (romantic, friend, work, or family) 
• Unfulfilling work and long hours 

Common Mental Emotional Stress Symptoms:

• Insomnia
• Physical pain in the body and joints
• IBS symptoms
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue & Exhaustion
• Excessive sweating
• Acne
• Depression
• Irritability
• PMS symptoms
• Lowered immune function
• Autoimmune conditions 
• Hypo/hyperthyroid conditions 
• HPA (hypothalamus pituitary adrenal) Axis dysregulation 
  

Starting to sound familiar?  Do you struggle with any of these stressors? More than likely you do, and not just one of them. For today I'm going to focus primarily on mental emotion stress, as it is the one we like to burry, run from, and ignore. 

When dealing with mental emotional stress, it's time for the real work. Zoom in, into your heart, into your soul. ​Get quiet, listen, and let your heart do the talking. I suggest yoga and meditation to quiet the mind and ease the body into a state where you can listen and receive the truth of your heart.

So once you have identified your stressors, start seeking the heart wisdom to heal and eliminate them. Tune into your heart via this seated meditation... 

1. Come to a comfortable seat in a quiet place you will not be disturbed for 15-20 minutes
2. Introduce breath. Breathe in an out through your nose. Take ten breaths just feeling the air enter your nose, fill you lungs, chest and abdomen. Let the breath release out naturally. You can give your inhales and exhales a color like white and gold. Whatever feels purifying and give your clarity. 
3. Continuing to breathe. Focus on your physical body. Scan your entire body from feet to head, feeling any sensations: tension, tightness, soreness, pain, pulse of your heart, tingling. Ten breaths just feeling physical sensations. 
4. Keep breathing. Now focusing on the mind. Just acknowledge the state of your thoughts and emotions. You are not your thoughts. You are the consciousness observing your thoughts. Visualize yourself laying on your back in nature just watching the clouds drift by. The clouds are your thoughts, your consciousness is the sky. You may focus on one for a while and then it just morphs into something else and is gone. Ten breaths just focusing on whatever your thoughts are. Not trying to change anything. Try to count your breaths.  
5. Continue to breathe. As you tune into your consciousness. Your truth. You may focus on your heart center. Send a couple breaths in and out of your heart center. Then listen to its whispers, to your truth. What are its desires? Where is it directing you?  What is it telling you? Your truth lies here, in your heart, in stillness and silence. Just waiting for you to tune in. Ten breaths. Stay here as long as you can listen and stay present, always coming back to your breath. 

Back to my story. It doesn't end with just Viola! I cleaned up my diet and started doing some yoga. Oh no, it's not that fast or easy. But it is the most beautiful and profound journey I have ever embarked on. It is why I am writing you today. It is why Wild Acorn Wellness exists. It is what happens when you start to listen and fall madly in love with yourself. You can no longer NOT do the work. To not do the work would be death to my soul and a welcome mat for new and old symptoms to walk right back into my life. It is answering the call to continuing to answer the call to refine, redefine, listen, love, forgive and grow. Seeking the root cause of the stress that is manifesting as symptoms in your body, rooting them out, and loving them to death. I've found what makes me come alive in teaching yoga, mindfulness, and holistic health, and sharing these truths with you here and in my practice. 

Your heart knows the answer. Your heart holds your truth. When you find any discordance, which most everyone does, with your heart's truth and your life you know there is work to be done. This is where you start the real work. This is where you heal. Start here and you will see how your life begins to unfold in magical ways bringing you peace, ease, health and true happiness. Not to mention, relief from the symptoms of stress and disease. The power of the mind-body-spirit connection is beyond powerful. 

As my dear friend Erica Benedicto says, "Our truth, the most powerful of medicines. If you can get back to yours, you'll never want to leave. It's not easy. It takes time, due diligence, dedication and desire. But it's there and waiting for you to open it and give it life once again." 

I would love the opportunity to work with you, to teach you more techniques to healing your heart, discovering your truth, and revealing the healthiest most vibrant version of you. Through not only a personalized tailored diet, exercise, rest, lab testing, but also stress reduction, a spiritual guidance I can help you discover and utilize your own innate power to heal.

Please fill out my Wellness Intake Form HERE or contact me at jenniferhturner@gmail.com to schedule your FREE 30 minute introductory consultation. 

*I use the words truth, heart and soul interchangeably throughout this post to refer to the same concept. Feel free to use whichever one resonates most with you. 

The number one question I have been asked this month is how to prevent and treat colds and flu naturally. So I thought I would combine all of my recs and resources here for you all as an easy reference.

But first, why not just take Tamiflu, Nyquil, Sudafed or other over the counter common medications? Your health is an accumulation of and response to everything you put in and on your body. This includes everything from the air you breathe, products you put on your skin (makeup, lotion, soap, toothpaste, deodorant), people's energy around you, foods and drinks you consume, and even medications you take. 

A Cochrane review of Tamiflu published by the British Medical Journal in 2014  found "no compelling evidence to support claims that Tamiflu reduces the risk of complications of influenza, such as pneumonia and hospital admission." So besides it not really even working you also run the risk of these side-effects...

Tamiflu Side Effects:  headache, nosebleeds, digestive upset: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and psychiatric symptoms (hallucinations, abnormal behavior, self harm).

Pseudoephedrine Side Effects (active ingredient in Sudafed, Zyrtec-D, Claritin-D,  Advil Cold & Sinus): chronic trouble sleeping, stimulant effects, headache, nausea, dizziness, feeling weak, used to make meth

NyQuil Side Effects: increase in the thickness of lung secretions, drowsiness, abnormal liver function, decreased white blood cells and blood platelets, hives, high blood pressure, addiction to NyQuil

Unlike most over the counter drugs and prescriptions, natural approaches can be incredibly effective, safe, affordable, and without side-effects. To me these nasty side effects outweigh their potential ease of symptoms. My goal is to heal and support the body while strengthening the immune system so that you don't get sick again down the road. Here are my tried and true tonics, herbs, foods, essential oils, and techniques to ease congestion, cough, sore throat, fever, and body aches. These natural remedies will also fortify your immune system so that you are more resistant to getting sick again down the road. Win. Win! 
​

• Fire Cider: 1-2 Tbsp. 3-4 times daily. Sip it with water, lemon & raw honey.
  • This wellness tonic contains immune boosting ingredients to help ward off potential illness and ease symptoms of the cold & flu. From easing a sore throat and congestion to general cold season irritations, Fire Cider will warm you back up to health.
  • Ingredients: ginger, horseradish, onion, garlic, cayenne, lemon, orange, turmeric, rosemary, honey in apple cider vinegar. Recipe Here. 
• Elderberry Syrup: 1 Tbsp. 3 times daily (Herb Pharm or Gaia Herbs)
• Echinacea: 1 tsp. twice daily (Herb Pharm or Gaia Herbs) Better for prevention
• Vitamins: D3 2000-5000 units daily, Vit C 1000-2000 mg/day, Zinc 40 mg/day, probiotics
• Gypsy Cold Care Tea: sip hot with lemon & raw honey
• Neti Pot Saline Flush. How To Here. 
• DoTerra Essential Oils to diffuse:  You may also make a Vick's Vapor Rub type ointment by mixing 1-2 drops of these oils with coconut oil and spreading on your throat and chest. 
  • ​Cold: thyme, lemon, On Guard Blend, melaleuca (tea tree)
  • Flu: Breathe Blend, melaleuca, peppermint, rosemary, eucalyptus, On Guard Blend
  • Congestion: eucalyptus, peppermint, Breathe Blend
  • Cough: Breathe Blend, melaleuca, eucalyptus, frankincense, On Guard Blend
  • Fever: peppermint, lemon, lime, eucalyptus, melaleuca  
  • Allergies: melaleuca, lavender, lemon, peppermint 
• Organic Bone Broth

Foods To Eat & Cook With
Ginger, lemon, onions, garlic (preferably raw), turmeric, peppermint, cinnamon, thyme, oregano
These are good for making tea, broth, soup, cooking, and juicing.

Foods to Avoid When Sick

• Sugar – Decreases white blood cells that help fight off infection.
• Fruit Juices – Although orange juice contains some vitamin C, it is not as high in vitamin C as whole fruits or vegetables. If you want to drink a small amount of juice, dilute it with water.
• Alcohol – Is dehydrating and lowers immune function.
• Caffeine – Is dehydrating and can increase throat pain.
• Dairy & Whey – Can be mucus producing and can cause sore throat symptoms & congestion to progress.
• Eggs - Don't promote healing. Only good when you’re healthy.
• Vegetable Oils - canola, corn, sunflower, safflower (avoid always)
• Farmed Fish - (avoid always)
• Pork 

Sleep
Last but not least, in order to recover for any illness you must rest. If I could only recommend one thing from this entire post it would be sleep. We live in a non-stop go go go culture. Just taking one day off to stay home from work is a stretch, I know. But it is the best and fastest track back to health. In one study, people who slept at least 8 hours a night were 3 times less likely to come down with a cold than those who got 7 hours or less. Sleep definitely gets less credit than it should for keeping your immune system healthy and also for recovering when you've been immune compromised. If you feel tired or worn down when you're sick, SLEEP. Sleep until you're better. You will be restoring the body and supporting the immune system from the inside so you don't get sick again in a month or two. 

Fever Tea

• Yarrow
• Elder flowers
• Peppermint

Mix equal parts of the dried herbs. Pour 2 cups of near boiling water over 2 Tbsp herbs. Steep 10 minutes. Strain. Add some raw honey or maple syrup, grade B. This stuff doesn’t taste good, but it lowers the fever, makes you sweat, eases headache and joint pain. Drink 1/4 cup every hour, while awake.

Herbal Sweat To Break a Fever

• 10 drops of any of the following: Eucalyptus, Lavender, Thyme.
• Toss a washrag into the shower so that water will hit it when you turn it on. Then turn the faucets on in your bathroom full throttle on hot. Close the door. 
• When the room is full of herbal infused steam, head in and hang out in there until you are breaking a good sweat.
• To increase this, sip hot ginger tea with lemon. Make sure to keep super well hydrated! After the steam, head to bed and bundle into your blankets for some rest.

Hello Wild Acorn Fam! I am so stoked for 2017. I recently completed the Functional Diagnostic Nutrition program and am a certified FDN Practitioner. I was so blown away by the quality and content of this program. I now feel fully prepared to help you discover, heal, and reveal your most confident, strong, happy, healthy, and vibrant self to the world. 

Please check out the new Work With Me page where you can learn more about my FDN process and fill out a wellness intake form to schedule your first FREE 30 minute consultation with me. I have spent the past few weeks developing plans to help you uncover your best self so that you may live life to the fullest and I am so excited to work with you. 

Have you written down your resolutions, dreams, and goals for 2017? What do you want to manifest this year? 

Here is a an abbreviated version of mine. Maybe they will help you get started! 

Personal

• Hug more.
• Show more love. Lead with love.
• See life and all beings from the heart and a place of gratitude.
• Honor the love and light within that connects us all.
• Pause to give thanks for food, friends, family and blessings.
• Love myself unconditionally.

Professional

• Start holistic health & nutrtion coaching via Wild Acorn Wellness. 
• Host a Wild Acorn Wellness & Yoga Retreat.
• Find a female mentor.

Practical

• Make better use of my time.
• Go to bed and wake up earlier.
• Implement a morning routine: meditation, yoga, reading
• 7 yoga/journal 7:30 meditation 8 eat & get ready
• No social media within two hours of waking and sleeping.
• Don't eat standing up. 

Health

• MRT test for food sensitivities. 
• Do a biannual 10-day cleanse. More info on that to come! 
• Limit chocolate intake before 5 pm. 

Travel

• Thailand  & Hawaii: Seeking travel companions! 

Here is a great list for setting intentions in January. Write them in your journal or on your calendar where you will see them every day and be able to reflect on them.  

What can you change in each area or what can you let go of that is no longer serving you?

1. Career
2. Health
3. Family
4. Friends
5. Love
6. Fears
7. Gratitude
8. Compassion
9. Forgiveness
10. Accountability
11. Income / Money
12. Karma
13. Letting go
14. Appreciation
15. Making it happen
16. Never giving up
17. Travel
18. Ahimsa (non-violence)
19. Truthfulness
20. Money
21. Home
22. Volunteer
23. Education
24. Change
25. Diet
26. Non-stealing
27. Strength
28. Confidence
29. Flexibility
30. Meditation
31. Your choice!

My how time flies! It seems like just yesterday I was doing this cleanse while in Jerusalem. But in the same breath it feels like an eternity since I was living in Israel and navigating how to live in a country that has not yet embraced modern ideals of healthy living to the extent we have in the states.  

This year I am in a much better place not just with my diet, but also physically, mentally and emotionally which plays a huge part in my overall wellbeing. I have already gotten a jump start on the meditation bit, which I left out last year. And, aside from my persisting sweet tooth, I have been leading a pretty healthy lifestyle for the past year. My intention for this year's cleanse is to not only clean up my diet, but also, and almost more importantly, to focus on the emotional and spiritual aspects of the cleanse.   I hope you will join me. Let's see how it goes! 

The Standard American Diet, processed foods, GMO's, pesticides, toxins, chemicals, antibiotics and our fast-paced, stress-filled lives have all become a normal and accepted part of modern life. All these things have the potential to interrupt and damage the body's natural functions and ultimately cause it to suffer in many ways small and large. Your detoxification system, comprised of your organs and psychological processes working together, is designed to keep you healthy, youthful and happy. Consequently, when I was at my heaviest weight I also happened to be extremely stressed and emotionally drained. With a little help from you this amazing system can become a super power center for healing, regeneration, restoration and rejuvenation. Doing a detoxifying cleanse helps to reactivate your potential and reset the whole mental and physical body. It delivers an all access pass to boundless reserves of energy and healing you didn't even know you had. 

I chose the book Clean by Alejandro Junger primarily because it fit my lifestyle and encompassed everything I was trying to accomplish:

• LONG ENOUGH: It is a 21-day cleanse which would gives enough time to heal, break bad habits and form new better ones.
• FOOD BASED: You're not required to go vegan or totally starve ourselves on juice! You have a protein smoothie for breakfast, a healthy protein+veggie lunch, and a light veggie soup or fresh juice for dinner.
• MIND-BODY-SPIRIT INCORPORATED: It's not just a dietary cleanse. You are encouraged to meditate to cleanse the mind and change negative thought patterns that don't serve you. Online mediation resources: Tara Brach Beginners Guide to Meditation; Mediation Experience and Living In Love Free Apps by Deepak Chopra; Mindful Meditation App; Check out other mediation apps HERE. 
• MOVE YOUR BODY: Exercise is also encouraged and since you are still eating nutrient dense foods you have the energy and strength to stay active, go for a run, or do yoga. 
• ADIOS CHEMICALS: All environmental toxins and chemicals including cleaning & beauty products are eliminated and replaced with safe natural products. This includes traditional toothpaste, antiperspirant, deodorant, all soaps & detergents, makeup, air fresheners, etc. 

Originally posted on Wild Acorn Wellness' Facebook, September 11, 2014

September is Suicide Prevention Month. The nation, if not the world, was shaken and shocked by funny guy, Robin Williams, tragic death last month, but I think his death is serving a greater purpose to get us talking about the condition that affects more people than we'd like to admit. Why can't we talk about it, honestly and openly? Every time I meet someone new and start to get to know them eventually the question comes up "How did your mom die?" Mostly I think they expect me to say she had cancer or was in a car accident, but when I reply that she committed suicide the conversation usually stops there. Suicide and depression are still taboo and shameful in our culture with varying opinions across the board about whether it is "real." 

What I can tell you about my experience with a beautiful, vibrant, creative, passionate, loving mother who suffered with depression and ultimately committed suicide when she had a 14, 12 and 5 year old kids she loved with all her heart, is IT IS REAL. I fear if we continue to not talk about it, push it under the rug, not acknowledge it as legitimate condition that affects comedians, mothers, fathers, soldiers, veterans, teenagers, the elderly, the LGBT community, and everyone else who lives in the painful aftermath of the loss of a loved one, it will continue to plague our global community.

Just because my mother took her life does not mean she was a bad person. I refuse to let her be remembered by the way that she left this world, but instead the way that she lived and loved. I hope that everyone I get the chance to talk to about her gets to know her in a small way. That she was an incredible seamstress who made many of my clothes and costumes as a kid. She had an infectious laugh, she dedicated her life to her kids and was involved in everything we did, including learning the play the fiddle with my brother, Mead, when he was five. She loved the holidays and went above and beyond to make them special every year. She had a my brother, Blake, when I was 10 so I remember the intense joy he brought her in giving her her ultimate purpose and highest calling in life as a mother. I know she lives on through the smiles, laughter and creative energies of my brothers and me. She will not be forgotten.

Please tell your story, listen to someone else's, pay attention to the signs of depression and don't ignore friends and family when they are suffering. Even if you aren't depressed or affected by depression there is so much wisdom, healing and practical knowledge to glean from This Podcast by The Shawn Stevenson Model.  Let's get real about this serious issue. 

Much Love, Jenn