How CBD Can Help With Anxiety

by Molly Black, EAT STRETCH NAP™ Contributor // Founder of Wellness by Molly

Do you keep hearing about CBD but you’re not sure what it really is or how to use it? You might already know that it’s great for relieving stress, anxiety, and pain while also helping you simply chill out [of course we love that ;)]. Read on for more about the product taking over the health + wellness industry and how it can benefit you!

What is CBD?

According to Project CBD, "Cannabidiol (CBD) is a naturally occurring compound found in the resinous flower of cannabis, a plant with a rich history as a medicine going back thousands of years” AKA it’s totally natural, safe, and can be a great complement to a healthy lifestyle!

CBD has been used for years to alleviate physical pain and there is a ton of research on how to use it. The best thing to do before trying it is to talk to a professional to learn more about CBD and how to tailor it to your specific needs. Chances are, if you’re here, you’re seeking CBD out to help you r e l a x a little deeper :)

Where can you buy it?

You can buy CBD anywhere from grocery stores to online. I typically buy mine from a local CBD store or online from AUR Body. Talk to a professional to find out what dose and what type works best for your body and lifestyle. Most CBD and health food stores have someone on staff that can talk you through the products and their benefits.

How CBD has helped me

I started taking CBD two years ago when I noticed my anxiety was becoming more difficult to manage and I was in the thick of my seasonal depression. After a yoga class, I went to a CBD store and talked with a knowledgeable professional about which brands and products to use to help me sleep and ease my anxiety. He recommended I use a tincture that was 100mg and take it every day - I can increase or lower my dose as desired. I was so excited. I ran home and tried the strawberry flavored goo. It was delicious and worked almost instantly. My racing mind was finally calm. I slept through the night, and woke up feeling energized! This was an amazing new feeling for me and I continued using it in the morning with my other vitamins. I’ve tried other products such as chocolates, gummies, vaporizing and have experimented putting the oil in my tea, coffee, and smoothies. They all work great! I noticed my anxiety is much more manageable, I sleep through the night, feel well rested when I wake up and focused during the day.

My Regular Routine

In the morning, I put a few drops of an oil or tincture into my morning beverage (tea, lemon water, or coffee). At night, I either vaporize while I’m reading before bed or I take the oil/tincture sublingually. If I have any back pain I use a body balm infused with CBD on my back and put some on my temples to relax.

For anyone experiencing anxiety or trouble sleeping, CBD may be a huge help! You can do your own research online, talk with a professional, or go to your local health food store. There are many different kinds and ways to try CBD. Enjoy!

Molly Black [@wellnesswithmolly]

Mindfulness Guide, Meditation + Yoga Teacher + lover of vegan cooking and chai

For more by Molly, visit wellnesswithmolly.me or follow @wellnesswithmolly on Instagram!

One Week Wellness Challenge

by Molly Black, EAT STRETCH NAP™ Contributor // Founder of Wellness by Molly

Happy New Year! I’m excited for new opportunities in 2019 for growth and exploration, I’ve set my intentions and am looking forward to the journey. I’ve created a Week of Wellness Challenge with the intention of helping people find pauses for mindfulness in their everyday lives. Enjoy!

Sunday Skincare - Create a face mask! Use a bowl or a plate to mash together a raw banana, 2 tsp of agave/honey, and 1/4 cup of plain vegan/regular yogurt. Banana has great brightening properties and honey is a great antibacterial, you can actually wash your face with it, fun tip!

Set your intention for this week with this act of self-care. While you are mixing your mask make sure that your focus is completely on this activity. While you gather your ingredients and start to mix them, take note of the texture of each ingredient, the smell, and how the texture looks. This is a brilliant form of meditation, allowing you the space to create something for yourself as a form of self-love and this is your only focus.

While the mask is setting on your skin you can either journal, meditate silently, or simply reflect on your experience of stillness, on your experience without other stimulation allowing yourself to dive in to the smells and textures of the ingredients. What did this experience bring up for you? How can you use this practice in other areas of your life?

Monday Making breakfast. Taking note of each step of either making your tea, coffee, or juice - the smells, texture, and how it tastes - use this time to dive into your experience. Step two of this activity is to eat breakfast/drink your coffee, tea or juice silently. Create this experience of stillness and reflection while enjoying your food. You can still eat breakfast with others, but encourage them to also eat silently along with you.

During my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training, I was in France with 15 other people sharing a house. Each morning we had silent breakfast, all together enjoying our meal and each others company. I encourage you to try this at least one day during the week and see how it feels to try it every Monday.

Tuesday Meditate on the train. While you are in your commute, either on your walk, train/bus ride, or car drive to work. Take this time to connect with yourself, this could be noticing the scenery, listening to a guided meditation or practicing your own meditation. Allow this time for you to connect and restore.

If you work from home, Find a comfortable seat and practice your meditation at home or on your walk to your co-working space, to get coffee, or just take a walk outside :)

Wednesday Free Writing Journaling. I created a prompt for Free Writing Journaling as well as other journaling prompts. This type of writing really shows us how quickly our minds move and sporadic our minds can be. Meditation is not about being completely blank, it’s about staying present and using thoughts and experiences to become more connected to your mind-body. Through this exercise you may write random things, a story, or a regular journal entry. This time is for you to be creative and enjoy the process!

Thursday Yoga! Ideally, find a restorative yoga class or a vinyasa/yin(restorative) class. Classes that are fully restorative/Yin or have it in the mix are going to challenge you to be still and meditate. These classes are slow moving, deep stretching, and can be cathartic. I really enjoy a restorative class as a form of therapy. This time of stillness and slow moving allows me to dive deep into my body and meditate on the past week.

Friday Gratitude Journal. Writing 3 things a day that bring us joy or that we are grateful for, allows us to stay humble and find more ease. While we are reflecting on what we’re grateful for, we are allowing ourselves the space to be present and find joy in what we have.

Saturday Mindfulness Checklist. Creating a daily or weekly checklist can be helpful for us to see how far we’ve come and plan where we’d like to go.

Let us know how this challenge goes for you in the comments! What was your favorite practice to implement?

If you’re in Chicago, be sure to check out our events! We have plenty of slow, restorative yoga classes that will help you pause and create more moments of mindfulness.

Molly Black [@wellnesswithmolly]

Mindfulness Guide, Meditation + Yoga Teacher + lover of vegan cooking and chai

For more by Molly, visit wellnesswithmolly.me or follow @wellnesswithmolly on Instagram!

4 Stretches to do on an Airplane

by Molly Black, EAT STRETCH NAP™ Contributor // Founder of Wellness by Molly

When you travel a lot, your practice may dwindle while you’re on the go. A great way to stay on track is to do some yoga on the airplane. Your body will thank you.

Enjoy!

Seated Twists 

While seated with both feet flat on the floor, bring the back of your left hand to your outer right thigh and gently twist your upper body so that you are facing the right. Do the same on the other side. Keep your neck and spine long and breath in as you lift your ribcage and exhale as you twist.

Neck Rolls 

While seated or standing, bring your chin to your chest and then move your chin to the left and right side. If it's comfortable, bring your neck into full circles covering your full range of motion.

Thigh Lifts 

While standing bring one thigh into your chest and wrap your arms around your leg. Repeat on the other side. You can hold on to the airplane chair or wall for balance.

Wrist Stretches

While seated or standing, interlace your hands and then bring them overhead with your palms facing up. Lean from one side to the other if you have room for an extra stretch!

Do you want to learn more easy stretches you can do while on the go? Watch @eatstretchnap’s story every Thursday for #ESNStretchBreak! We share one simple pose you can do anytime and teach you its amazing benefits! We want to see you stretch in the wild! Take a pic of yourself stretching on an airplane or public space and tag #ESNStretchBreak + @eatstretchnap to be featured.

Molly Black [@wellnesswithmolly]

Mindfulness Guide, Meditation + Yoga Teacher + lover of vegan cooking and chai

For more by Molly, visit wellnesswithmolly.me or follow @wellnesswithmolly on Instagram!

4 ways to increase mindfulness

by Molly Black // EAT STRETCH NAP™ Contributor // Founder of Wellness by Molly

If you want to be more mindful, increase confidence, decrease stress, AND combat anxiety - there is one thing you can focus everyday that will help:

Improving your mind-body awareness.

Below are four techniques to help you become more mindful through mind-body awareness.

Place one hand on your heart and one hand on your stomach and feel your body move with each breath.

This grounding exercise helps you arrive in the space you’re in and creates a soothing effect. Start your day this way to bring your focus inward and to help ease unsettling thoughts and feelings. You can also do this if you’re about to give a presentation, feeling social anxiety, or going into an interview. Basically, whenever you feel ungrounded, try this out!

Focus on your breath.

Almost every yoga teacher uses the phrase “focus on your breath” because it’s one of the best ways to increase body awareness. Take time to tune in and notice changes in your breathing throughout your day. Focusing on your breath naturally brings you more energy and a sense of calm. If you feel stressed, try this simple breathing technique: Let out a big sigh or release a deep exhalation as you push your hands away from you. This creates a sense of you literally pushing away negativity. Now who doesn’t want that?

Practice “Breath of Joy”

Breath Of Joy, a breath control technique, is an amazing way to combat depression. While standing, lift your arms parallel to the ground in front of you breathing in through your nose, lower your hands to your sides, while inhaling again lift your arms out into a “T Shape,” inhale a third time and lift your arms over your head, then on your exhalation bend at your waist into a forward fold and send your arms behind you. Let your exhalation out through your nose. Repeating this 6 - 12 times can help energize you and improve your mood!

Do some yoga!

Practicing asana, or yoga poses, are a wonderful way to create more mind-body awareness. Understanding how your body moves and how your breath changes throughout your movements will allow you to have more awareness in your everyday life. If you’re intimidated by yoga, try practicing at home online or check out EAT STRETCH NAP’s Sunday Stretch class, it’s great for beginners!

There are so many ways we can become more connected to ourselves through our bodies. How will you utilize these techniques?

Molly Black [@wellnesswithmolly]

Mindfulness Guide, Meditation + Yoga Teacher + lover of vegan cooking and chai

For more by Molly, visit wellnesswithmolly.me or follow @wellnesswithmolly on Instagram!