Integrated Living 101

Dear Aspen reader,

Hope you've had a refreshing summer! Just a little update as Aspen Wellness moves forward: The emails might look a little different, the website may have some updates and the programs may be revamped, but the message is still the same: In order to be healthy you must eat well, move well and be well in your mind, body and spirit. This is integrated living.  Want to know more?

Read on.

----------

It all started in October of 2017 as a blog on healthy living, fitness and plant-based living: The Plant Lady. Friends and family followed along as I inspired them with weekly tidbits about nutrition research and provided simple yet effective workouts. We talked about self-care through essential oils and I shared a bit of my life story from the perspective of a military wife. I planted seeds of wellness in every article that I wrote.

But in early 2018, the winds started to change. 

I felt the urge to expand the mission of Aspen Wellness to inform, educate and empower women towards lives of total wellness. Blogs provided personal insight on healthy living, but women were in need of more. As I watched the social media posts and chatted with women from differing walks of life, it became more and more apparent that tools, programs and deeper education were vital. Because the reality is, so many women today are living lives that are less than satisfactory – whether it’s mentally, physically, spiritually or emotionally. We are a society that is living stressed out, disconnected and spread too thin. We aren't easily making the connection between the health our bodies, what we eat, how we move and how we think.

The problem lies in this: Ignoring the fact that our entire bodies act as a connected, sophisticated system lends to increased stress on the body. Chronic stress weakens the immune system and can lead to chronic disease, along with anxiety, depression, digestive and sleep problems, weight gain or more. Statistics actually show that 95% of all illness is either caused by or worsened by stress.

This is why Aspen Wellness exists. My heart is to help women prevent lifestyles that lead to burnout but instead offer opportunities to develop an understanding of the integration between your mind, your body and your health. I aim to help women come to an understanding of their uniqueness and how that affects their choices for wellness in food, fitness and self-care. 

Connections are at the forefront of all we do. As an Aspen tree colony is connected beneath the dirt, our minds and bodies function in an integrated way. By encouraging these healthy connections to grow through articles, programs, challenges and other opportunities for learning, I hope to encourage you to live your best life now. I'm excited to join with you on the journey to "Find a Healthier You."

In health,

Alecia