MICHELLE BUZBEE, M.A.

Holistic Health Education, Coaching, and Nutrition Consulting

Dear Friends and Clients-

Is your world upside down yet? I don’t know if mine is, or if we are only a fraction of the way to upside down. First and foremost, I hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy. 

In these crazy times, we can start to feel crazy ourselves. Many of us are home all the time, sheltering-in-place, some of us with other family members like young (or older) children. That can be difficult. We are not able to have our normal work, social lives, and exercise routines to balance us and keep us sane. And I don't know about you, but I am finding it difficult to be shut inside without snacking all day. 

Here are a few ideas to help keep you healthy and sane: 

SLEEP

If you have a little more time and flexibility these days because you are not commuting or are working fewer hours, take advantage of this opportunity and try to focus on this aspect of your health. Getting good sleep will help keep your immune system strong and improve mental health, so don’t feel guilty about prioritizing it right now! Adults need 7-9 hours of sleep per night, consistently. Keeping your bedtime and waking times consistent over the weekdays and weekends is highly recommended. 

Here’s a link to Matthew Walker, a sleep researcher, and author of the recent book, Why We Sleep: https://news.berkeley.edu/2017/10/17/whywesleep/

And a TED Talk by Matthew Walker (Sleep is Your Superpower): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MuIMqhT8DM

STRESS REDUCTION

In addition to exercise and getting outside in the fresh air, I am trying to meditate 5-10 minutes per day. I have found this very helpful for my sanity. It’s a very small amount of time, so that makes it more achievable.  

If you would like some guidance, here’s a link to the website of local Davis meditation teacher, Denise Dempsey. Click on the Guided Meditations button. She also has a link to mindfulness resources for dealing with Covid 19: https://www.stressreductionprograms.com

And here’s a link to The Top 10 Guided Meditations from 2019: https://www.mindful.org/the-top-10-guided-meditations-from-2019/

EATING

Try to keep to consistent meal times. I am finding this a little difficult myself, being home all day. But I am working to make mealtimes more regular for my whole family as much as possible, to maintain our routines and keep us from eating all day long. Try to keep your house stocked with whole foods, especially fruits and vegetables (and eat them daily!). Eating well is another way to keep your immune system strong. And, maybe this is a perfect opportunity to get in the kitchen and cook more. Try getting any other family members you may live with to help out- if you live with a partner or spouse or friend, maybe they have a little extra times on their hands. Cooking is a also very important skill and habit to pass on to our children, so get them involved, too!

Want some support?

If any of you are struggling and would like to engage in a productive shelter-in-place activity, I am here for you for one-on-one health coaching conducted over the phone or via FaceTime or Zoom. I have coached many clients over the phone, and it works very well. It is convenient, and in these times can be very helpful in keeping up with healthy habits. I am here for you for goal-setting, motivation, education, support, and accountability.  I work with my coaching clients we work to set small and reasonable goals each week, and I help provide any useful education in the areas of nutrition, mindfulness, self-care practices, sleep, and other areas of holistic health. And then I am here for you to support you, motivate you, and help keep you accountable to yourself and your goals. 

If you are interested in health coaching, feel free to reach out to me at

michelle@michellebuzbee.com

510-910-6088

https://michellebuzbee.squarespace.com/coaching

Wishing all the best for you and your loved ones, 

Michelle