A Can Do Mom

I hear people discuss generational wealth a lot nowadays, and I understand why. It’s perfectly natural to want to build up money that can be passed down through future generations and give your descendants a better future. But I think generational wellness is equally important, if not more so. Because your quality of life depends on your health just as much as your finances. So today we’re going to talk about five ways you can start building that legacy of wellness — for yourself, your kids, and future generations. 1. Create Specific Goals First off, you can’t achieve a goal you haven’t defined. Especially when it’s something as intentional as building generational wellness. So the first step is to clearly identify which aspects of health and wellness you want to pass down. Maybe you want to put more focus on mental health. Or perhaps you want to prioritize nutrition and physical activity. Maybe you want to do all of it. Whatever the case may be, take time to evaluate exactly what...

As many of you know, February is Heart Health Month. While I have always cared deeply about heart health and wellness in general, this year it means even more to me. That is because, as I shared in a recent update post , I had a major heart-related scare in January. You can read the full story there, but in short, I thought I was having a heart attack. I called 911 and went to the hospital. The local ER told me I was not having an active heart attack and said my symptoms were anxiety and muscle pain. I have struggled with muscle pain for many years, so I know the difference. My family remained concerned, so I went to a larger heart hospital about two hours away. There, I was told I was not having a heart attack but was experiencing episodes of atrial fibrillation, or AFib attacks. Thankfully, these are now resolved through stress management and balancing my electrolytes, which I will talk about later. This experience reminded me how often women’s heart health is underestimated, misu...

I haven’t written a letter from the heart since January 1st. That’s because on January 11th, I had what I thought was a heart attack. Since this month is American Heart Month, I wanted to share what happened. In the days before the 11th, I hadn’t been feeling great. But I’m almost 50, so I thought it was just getting older, perimenopause, and some muscle pain. We also had a heavy snowfall on the 8th and I spent time outside dealing with that. So by Saturday, it seemed natural that I was feeling worse. The morning of the 11th I woke feeling drained. My left shoulder hurt, reaching up into my neck, and overall I just did not feel well. But I got on with my work. After lunch, I still felt off so I sat down at my computer to relax. Then I began to feel worse. At first, I did not think too much of it until my chest felt squeezed, almost like a corset tightening. Then the pain in my shoulder spread down my left arm, numb and burning. Heat exploded into my head and my heart pounded wildly....

Physical activity is important for people of all ages but it’s especially important for children. Not only does it help burn off all that extra energy kids are famous for, but it also supports their overall development and protects their health long-term. Getting kids moving doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, it should be fun! Below, I’ve put together a list of kid-friendly exercises that are both effective and enjoyable. They’re simple, don’t require fancy equipment, and can be done indoors or out. Let’s get into it! Start With Stretching  Every good workout no matter how short should start with some light stretching and end with a cooldown. Teaching your child to stretch before and after activity will help them stay flexible, reduce the risk of injury, and build a healthy fitness routine for life. Here are a few gentle, age-appropriate stretches: Downward Dog & Upward Dog – A great stretch for the whole body Tree Pose – Builds balance and focus Child’...

Yoga has been around for centuries, and with good reason. It's more than just a workout. It’s a whole-body, whole-mind practice that helps you feel more present, balanced, and strong. And let’s be real: what mom doesn’t need a little more of that in her life? In this post, I want to focus on how yoga can benefit moms first (because yes, we need to take care of ourselves sometimes!). But if you decide to invite your kids into the practice too, there are some pretty amazing benefits there as well. Benefits of Yoga for Moms 1. Yoga Gives Moms a Much-Needed Break Let’s face it there’s always something else to do. Laundry, dishes, school runs, meal prep… the list never ends. But that’s exactly why you need to carve out a moment for yourself. Even just ten minutes of yoga can be a reset button on a stressful day. It helps calm your nervous system and gives you a chance to breathe. When you’re more grounded and centered, you’re more patient, more present, and honestly? A better v...

  Most of us have heard that too many carbs and too much sugar can be bad for us. But if you’re like me, that warning probably went in one ear and out the other for a long time. The truth is, we’re constantly bombarded with health advice so much so that it’s easy to tune it all out. Especially when the “bad guys” are things we actually enjoy, like bread, pasta, and sweets. But recently, I started paying more attention. I’d been dealing with a handful of minor health issues and just didn’t feel like myself. So I decided to try cutting back on carbs and sugar to see what would happen. The difference? Almost immediate. I felt better, more energized, less bloated, and more in control of my cravings. That experience inspired me to write this post. I want to share a few important things about what carbs and sugar actually do in the body and the impact they can have when we go overboard. What Role Do Carbs and Sugar Play in the Body? Let’s start with carbs. There are three main typ...

I’ve heard it more times than I can count: “You should try to get 10,000 steps a day for weight loss and better health.” So when I got my Fitbit and saw that the preset goal was 10,000 steps, I was all in. Most days I could hit that without a problem, and I even bumped my goal up to 12,000. I felt like I was really doing great. So imagine my surprise when I went in for my annual physical and my doctor told me I could stand to lose a few pounds—and that my cholesterol was a little too high. Then she asked the question that changed everything: “Are you actually getting your heart rate up, or are you just getting steps?” Oof. I had to admit that most days my little “cardio zone” circle wasn’t green, even though I was walking over 5 miles a day. According to my Fitbit, I was doing plenty. But somehow, it wasn’t making the difference I expected. That’s when my doctor told me to stop focusing so much on my step count and start aiming for 30 minutes of brisk walking at least five days a...