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Built Skinny

After 3 weeks of training nearly every day, I found myself having to take a week off from the gym.
It wasn't what I wanted, but it was what my body needed.

You see, it was a Thursday and I decided to grab two 30 lb dumbbells.
I was standing in front of the mirror looking down at the ground.
I bent my knees, made sure my back was flat and stable.
I grabbed a 30 lb dumbbell in each hand.
I started to bring my hips forward, moving the dumbbells above my knee.
The weight felt okay - not too heavy.
And then it happened, my lower back decided to holler at me.
In other words, I tweaked my back.

I put the 30 lb dumbbells back and then moved on to lying hamstring curls because I couldn't JUST leave the gym so abruptly - who knows who was paying attention and what they would think of my extra short workout.
[legit so silly of me to even think this! it would have been okay to just leave. I didn't owe anyone any explanation.]

So I did a few reps on the lying hamstring curl machine - my back was quiet during them.
I then walked myself home.

That night I barely slept. My back wanted to really chat.
The pain was annoying - so much so that I decided to take Advil to help with any inflammation.

Yes I did put ice on my back the first day.
The next day I started putting heat on it - may I say heat helped the most for me.

Anyway, let's talk about the point of this article.
Living in pain.

Tweaking my back reminded me of how miserable I am when I feel pain and have to live with the pain.

It reminded me of how I used to walk around being in pain all the time and not fully knowing it.

Physical pain is something I was always accustomed to.
It is what you get used to as an athlete - you jam a finger, sprain an ankle, get a bruise, pull a muscle - you kind of just keep it moving. The desire to get back in the game over powers any pain.

Welp the game to get back into isn't here and this 30 year old body is still learning its limits and how it feels.

Experiencing a pulled back reminded me why I live my current lifestyle...
to feel GOOD everyday.

It is that simple!

So let's dive a bit more into pain.
There is physical pain from exercise and accidents.
There is physical pain from food choices.
There is emotional pain from growing up and living life.

What I have learned on this journey is life is 100x more challenging when I am experiencing pain.

Pain affects me in several ways:
1. it keeps me from getting a good nights rest
2. it leaves me feeling MOODY
3. it makes me impatient
4. it makes me antisocial
5. it zaps my energy
6. it slows down my ability to manifest

... and so much more.

Life is DIFFICULT for me when I live in pain.

At one point I accepted my pain.
It was what I knew.
It was what I was comfortable with.

The idea of seeing a doctor or changing my diet was way scarier.
I didn't know if those things would work out.
I wasn't sure if it would actually get rid of my pain.
Would it be worth it?

I then realized what do I have to lose?

I can stay feeling miserable or I can take a risk and see if it works out.

If you're experiencing physical pain here are a few ways you can work through it 
- keep in mind most of these are not quick fixes.
1. see a chiropractor
2. get adhesion removal done (I highly recommend Barefoot Rehab in Denville NJ)
3. go to an acupuncturist
4. receive reiki healing
5. see a doctor who specializes in what you are experiencing pain in

If it is food related then I suggest seeing a functional medicine doctor and doing an elimination diet.
The body changes all the time, but sometimes we need a break from foods that are keeping us inflamed.

If you are living with daily bloating, heart burn, acid reflux, or other physical ailments then please look into your food choices.
A few simple changes can be life changing!

So let's talk about emotions.

There is a wonderful book by Don Miguel Ruiz called The Mastery of Love where he describes a world where everyone has a skin disease that hurts when touched and for thousands of years people have learned to protect their wounds in order to relate to others.

The description he shares shows us how we are full of emotional wounds.

When we are holding on to old pain we are easily triggered and it negatively impacts our relationships.

Think of it this way, when you don't resolve something then anytime it is mentioned you have an emotional reaction to it being mentioned.

When you work through your pain you can get to a more neutral place so you aren't as easily triggered.

Here are some ways for you to work through your emotional pain.
Keep in mind forgiveness is always FOR YOU.
You can heal pain or forgive someone else without ever having to talk to that person.
This is your life and your emotions.
You have the power to choose.

1. write, write, write - whatever feels good for you - one of my favorite techniques is writing a letter to someone or writing what it is I need to hear to feel better
2. family constellation session
3. talk therapy
4. meditation
5. reiki session

What I want you to know is you can heal yourself.
You can decide to work through your pain.

In my mind, life is too short to live in pain.
While I am here on Earth I want to feel good and enjoy it.

I hope this episode inspires you to start to look for ways to really work through your pain.

I know how enticing a quick fix may be, but it won't be worth it in the long run.

Start slow.
This journey is your own.

Remember, you can let go of the pain.
You can live a life that feels AMAZING!


If you want to learn more, check out the podcast episode I did on this topic:
Living in Pain & Natural Ways to Heal





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A few weeks ago I stumbled upon an Abraham Hicks video on YouTube
that really helped solidify my feelings about how important it is to take care of myself.

 It is easy for me to sometimes feel guilty about taking care of my health
or doing activities that I know will help me feel better.
Or saying no to things that I know don't serve me.

So when I hear this video it was like I could breathe just a bit easier.
It helped me to let go of my guilt.

As you know ... guilt doesn't do anything - doesn't help us one bit.
Quite a waste of space.

So ... in the video someone asked this question in a way where Abraham's 
response was something along the lines of ...
'They are asking you to no longer focus on taking care of you, but to focus on taking care of them?"

It made me sit back and think WOW - 
when you phrase it that way who is really the selfish one in that situation?

So today I wanted to talk a little bit about self love and self care.

One thing is for sure, it is CRUCIAL to take care of yourself!

When our energy is low, it is 10000x more challenging to get things done.
We can't think straight.
We don't want to move.
We aren't motivated.
We are distracted.
...
I mean the list can go on and on.

Burnout is a real thing and it happens easily.
Especially now that we live in a world where we are always being bombarded.
(that is a topic for another day though - just know the constant notifications on your phone can be stressing you out too)

What I want you to know is you NEED to make self care and self love a priority.
And you have to put it into your schedule.

Now in today's podcast episode I help you reframe this idea of self care.

Instead of doing something every single day for your health,
aim to do something once a week.
From there, start to add in more activities throughout the week.

Self care can be really simple though.
Like ...
- drinking more water
- eating healthier foods
- going outside
- playing a game on your phone
... etc. - check out the latest podcast episode to hear a few more suggestions.

click here to listen to the podcast episode

Self care is going to be any activity that helps light you up and feel recharged!

If you don't know what you like, then start experimenting and figure it out.

It is time you start taking care of you because the world needs you!!
The world needs your special gifts and talents!!

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Workout who?
Never heard of her.
Please don't introduce us either.

Let's get real about a holistic health journey.

You have a goal.
Initially you are fired up.
You want this!

You get all your supplies prepped.
You plan your schedule.

You start moving forward.


Day one rolls around and it was good.
Day two is similar.
Day three things start to feel repetitive.
Day four you are sticking it through.
By the time day seven arrives you are questioning it all.

This is COMMON!

Making lifestyle changes takes work.
So how do you keep pushing forward?

Realize you can't always rely on motivation.
There will be days where you have the energy and feel incredibly inspired.
Other days you just won't feel like doing anything.
Do your best to stick with your plan, especially on the days you don't feel like it.

Decision fatigue is a real thing.
If you are someone who juggles a lot and is constantly making decisions all day,
you absolutely have to set yourself up for success.

- plan your schedule for the week on a Sunday: when you will exercise, 
when you will have time to yourself, when you will work on your goals, etc. 
- meal prep as much as possible so you have a stocked fridge 
- bring snacks and water with you always
- plan out all the small details

The less decisions you have to make each day the better.

Plus, when you know something is on your schedule, 
you will be more mentally prepared to do it.
#winwin

Now this next point may hit home, but please know if it does
I am right there with you sending you so much love.

Sometimes we purposefully maintain habits to keep ourselves
from changing because we are getting more attention 
or love and we are scared if we change we won't
receive it anymore.

On the flip side, sometimes we keep bad habits going
because we do not believe we deserve better.

We may feel like we are unworthy.

This is the most difficult part ...
if you are continuously self-sabotaging, 
I want you to have a real conversation with yourself.

Grab a pen and paper and ask yourself ...
1. Why do I continue to fall into old habits?
2. What limiting beliefs do I have?
3. What would happen if I changed?
4. What am I scared of?
5. What will happen if I love myself unconditionally?

Once you get clear on what is real for you, 
you can work through the underlying issue.

After you resolve the deeper feelings,
you will have a much easier time staying motivated.

Eventually your new habits will just become habits.
You won't rely on motivation as much.
It will be your new routine.

A holistic health journey is not all or nothing.
It comes with lots of shades of gray.

Be kind to yourself.

You are possible of changing.
You are worthy of change.
You deserve change.
You are more than capable!
You are freaking incredible!
You are unstoppable!


P.S. If you'd like ideas on how to change your life so you are living more holistically healthy, then check out my latest ebook by clicking here.

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Before we get into how to thrive as an empath,
I think it makes sense for us to first talk about what an empath is.

An empath is someone who is able to understand and share the feelings of another.

From my point of view, it is a bit more intense
then feeling a way when someone shares with you (not like sympathy).

When you are empathic, you can feel other people's emotions
just by being around them.

For instance, if you have ever sat next to someone who was very angry
and out of no where you started to feel angry.
That is an example of empathy.

You are sensitive.
You pick up on the environment around you.
You feel intensely.
You tap into their energy.

Right now, with the state of the entire world,
fear has been heightened and it is everywhere.

As an empath when you scroll through social media
it is common to start feel the feelings of the person's post.
ie. if the post was written in fear, you feel that fear too.
If you are watching the news, your heart may start racing.

You are sensitive and it is a beautiful thing.

I know it may not feel beautiful, but I promise it is.
It is a gift as a human to experience such feelings.

The key to thriving is recognizing what is your energy
versus what is the energy you are tuning in to.

Ideally you want to be feeling your energy more often than not.

There are a few things you can do to truly thrive right now.

First let's make sure you are connecting to your energy:
1. feel your feet and do a body scan
2. take a few deep breaths
3. focus on your aura and cleanse it
4. ask yourself how am I feeling right now?

Once you get clear on what is yours and what isn't,
you can let go of the other energy.

I want to make something very clear right now so please listen close.
It is more than OKAY for you to feel good!
You deserve to feel good!
Please do not feel guilty that you feel good and someone else doesn't.
We all choose how we feel.
You are helping support others 100x more when you step into positivity
and allow yourself to feel good rather than sinking into lower vibes.

Embrace your truth and how you feel despite how others around you may feel.
Your light will lift others up. Stay with it.

So you recognize you are picking up other's energy.
Here is how you can clear yourself and maintain a positive vibe ...



1. smudge yourself with palo santo or sage 
I recommend you do this at least once a day

2. monitor what you are watching & listening to
you are no longer available for things full of fear and negativity
- that means you will get updates filtered from someone else in synopsis form

3. focus on thoughts that make you feel good
patrol your mind and don't engage with thoughts that relate to fear
do your best to just trust in the universe

4. be light + positivity for others
check in on those you care about and do nice things for others
being of service to others is a sure way to step into higher vibes

5. meditate and balance your chakras
you can balance your own chakras by sitting there and imagining
light shining through each chakra and asking for it to be cleared and balanced
(or if you'd like me to balance your chakras please reach out and I can help!)


If you are new to some of the above ideas let me provide a bit more insight...

Palo Santo is a light clearing of your energy, 
removing all negativity and leaving behind all the good positive vibes.

Sage is a deeper clearing and purifies your energy.

You pick up the feelings and energy of the things you watch and listen to.
If you want to feel better, you have to reduce your interaction with anything negative or fearful.

Your thoughts directly impact your energy.
When you can control your thoughts, you can truly decide 
how you want to feel at any moment in time.

It has been proven time and time again that helping others
always makes us feel better.
Instead of contributing to the fear, be kind to someone else.
It will go a long way, I promise.

Meditation is an opportunity to connect in with yourself, your highest being, and with spirit.
This is when you can ask questions and get answers.
Use this time right now as an opportunity to go inwards.
Get to know yourself more.

We typically focus on 7 chakras, which are energy centers 
that influence all parts of your body.
When a chakra is closed we may experience various physical or emotional ailments.
ie. the root chakra being closed can result in you feeling more fearful, 
panicked, anxious, threatened, low energy, sore lower back etc.
ie. if your throat chakra is closed you may struggle 
with speaking your truth or have neck pain or throat pain.

We want to keep the chakras open and flowing in order to feel our best.

As humans on earth yes we are physical beings, but we are also spiritual.
Once you recognize you are an empath, you start to see
how much energy impacts you.

To really thrive, you need to become more self aware
and honor your truths.

It is more than okay if you don't like to watch scary or violent movies anymore.
It is okay if you change how you eat because of the energy you get from your food.
It is okay to distance yourself from things that don't feel good.

Your energy is precious.
Take care of it every day.

I highly recommend creating your own practice
to maintain your energy.

Let me know in the comments what are some things 
you currently include in your daily spiritual practice.


P.S. if you'd like some ideas on how to deepen your spiritual practice, then check out my latest ebook
www.khrystlerea.com/ebook
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It would only be right that I start this
post off with a BIG shout out to my older sister.

She is the reason why I tried this one thing.
She put me on.
It has helped the most out of ALL the things I have tried.

You see I started seeing holistic doctors a long time ago.
Like when I was in grade school - that long ago.

In 2012 I was told I have acid reflux.
In 2014 I was told I have hashimotos thyroid issue.
In 2018 I was told I have an auto immune issue.
In 2016 I was told I have MTHFR gene mutation.

I have heard a lot of things.

However, I never received a long term solution.
I'd take various supplements, do restrictive diets and gain some relief.
The discomfort from eating would always come back though.

Until I started this one thing ...
CELERY JUICE

Pure celery juice.

It is so simple and so powerful.
I am extremely grateful for the healing I have experienced.

Today I want to show you how to make it
(peep the video below)


1. Take 1 stalk of celery
2. Cut off the bottom
3. Wash the celery
4. Juice it
5. Drink up!

In order to gain the maximum healing benefits of celery juice,
you want to drink 16oz every day on an empty stomach.
I choose to have mine first thing in the AM, but you
can wait and have it later in the day as long as it is 2 hours since you have eaten.

You can enjoy your breakfast or coffee at least 15 minutes
after you finish the celery juice.

I typically drink my celery juice while washing the juicer,
get dressed for the day, and then enjoy breakfast.
Just one way to incorporate celery into your routine!

You can learn more about celery juice and its powerful healing effects at:
www.celeryjuice.com

Let us know in the comments if celery juice has helped changed your life as well.


P.S. This is one of my tips to living a holistically healthy life.
Check out www.khrystlerea.com/ebook for more tips.
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What happens when you don't get enough water in the day?

You may experience headaches.
You may feel low in energy.
You may get constipated.
You may get sugar cravings.

Feeling moody?
Having a challenging time paying attention?
Struggling to remember things?

Yep ... that all may be a result of dehydration.

The funny thing about dehydration,
you may not feel thirsty until you actually are slightly dehydrated.

So you can't use that as your guide.
A better way to tell how your body is doing is to look at how light your urine is.
The lighter the color, the more hydrated you are.


So how much water is actually enough?
There are many suggestions out there ...
- 8x 8oz cups
- a half a gallon
- drink half your bodyweight
- 2 liters
- a gallon

Everyone has a different suggestion, so which do you follow?

Here are my thoughts.
If you are BRAND NEW to drinking water and getting adjusted to it,
aim to have 1.5 liters one day and build up from there.

If you are used to drinking water aim for 2 liters minimum.

If you are an exercise fanatic or extremely active,
then aim for 3 liters or a gallon
(you know how much you sweat and what you need to replenish).

Now I know not everyone loves water.
In fact, I find a lot of people really don't like it.

Here are my top tips to help you drink water easily:
1. use a reusable straw
2. use a big reusable water bottle
3. dress it up: use mint, lemon, fresh fruit, cucumbers, chia seeds, etc.

If you are for real struggling, set a timer to remind you to take a sip.
Or use a helpful app.
Whatever you have to do!

When your body is hydrated it will function better.
More toxins will get flushed out of your system.
Your skin will start to glow.
You will have more energy.
You will be able to think better.

Water is crucial to your health.
In fact, you may notice some ailments disappear when you are properly hydrated.

If you've always wanted to increase your water intake,
right now is the time!

Get into a good habit and make water your go-to beverage!



If you'd like more tips on how to live a healthy life, check out my latest ebook:
www.khrystlerea.com/ebook


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Right now things are a little scary.
Your world may have been turned upside down and 
you are not sure how it will all pan out.

You may be feeling the weight of everything -
I know I have been feeling a lot of sadness.

It is good to recognize our emotions and work through them.

Sometimes when we don't fully feel our emotions, 
they will get stuck in the body.

This can result in pain in the body or even illness.

In the book 'Waking The Tiger' by Peter Levine, 
he explains how animals rarely ever store trauma in the body
where humans do all the time.
[I highly recommend this book if you feel like you have unresolved trauma to work through!]

So, today I want to talk about one of the best ways 
to let go of your emotions .... by moving!

I know a lot of gyms are closed right now and so are workout classes,
but nature and open space are still available.

How you move right now doesn't matter.
Just find a way to move.

It could be dancing in your living room.
Running outside.
Doing an at home workout in your basement.
Running around inside.
Switch to crawling from room to room (no walking allowed).
Playing with a hula-hoop
Jumping on the bed or the couch.
Shaking your entire body.
Re-arrange the furniture and then move it all back.

Get creative.

Moving is going to help calm you.
It will help reduce any stress in your body.
It will improve your mental health tremendously.

For right now, keep on moving.
It will truly help you feel your best!


PS I created a few at home workouts for you in 
my latest ebook with videos to help you learn the moves
 check it out www.khrystle.rea.com/ebook



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