healthy mom hacks Archives - Julie Naturally | Teen Health Coach

8 Benefits of Journaling for Anxiety for Burned Out Moms

June 11, 2025 by Julie Brow-Polanco

Did you know that one of the benefits of journaling for anxiety is that it can save your life? Because of its effects on the mind and body, journaling has some surprising benefits. For example, according to Psych Central, research shows that journaling strengthens the immune system and acts as a stress management tool. Another example includes a visual journaling study with medical students. If anyone has a lot of stress and anxiety, it’s them. The study showed the promising benefits of journaling for the high stress environment in which they work. So, it quite literally can save your life …

8 great ways to use relaxing coloring pages

June 10, 2025 by Julie Brow-Polanco

There’s almost something magical about coloring books. Many kids love them. And now, adult coloring books are all the rage. These relaxing coloring pages recall youthful days with bright new crayons. Do you remember the joy of opening that new box of crayons with all the exotic colors and none of them broken or with flat tips? The only thing I didn’t like was the smell. Paraffin makes me sneeze, but I digress. Have you thought of these adult coloring books as a way to relax? Maybe you’ve only thought of coloring as an artistic activity, a form of self-expression. …

How to use the best essential oils for relaxation & sleep: 8 Ways

June 9, 2025 by Julie Brow-Polanco

Most people have heard about essential oils and even tried them. Maybe you have a favorite doTerra rep or are a Plant Therapy fan. Homemade cleaners with essential oils are popular because they offer a lower cost, natural alternative to nasty household toxins that cause illness. But, how about the best essential oils for relaxation and sleep? Most people are familiar with lavender as a sleep aid, but there are several other oils useful for calming the mind. In addition, we can do more than add a few drops to bath bombs or diffusers to enjoy their effects. Essential oils …

How to stop emotional eating in 5 simple steps

December 16, 2020 by Julie Brow-Polanco

When you’ve been in the habit of stuffing your emotions with food, it can be hard to reverse that trend. But, the toll it’s having on your emotional, physical, and mental health probably frightens you. Then, feeling bad, you eat more to try to feel better. It’s a vicious cycle that cannot be broken with food. The effects of emotional eating can only be reversed with a purposeful plan that starts with these five steps. I will warn you, though, that these steps might be simple, but they’re not easy. However, the rewards far outweigh the challenges. Finally, you will …

Warning! Stress eating can kill you sooner!

December 15, 2020 by Julie Brow-Polanco

During the holidays and winter months, we can experience higher levels of stress. This time of year often stirs up painful memories and family tensions, deepens financial troubles, and finds us gaining unwanted pounds. We also tend to get sick more often. So, what do we do? We engage in stress eating. The roots of emotional eating teach us to eat when we feel bad. So we learn to associate food with relieving our sadness, disappointment, and other negative feelings. But, stress eating can shorten your life span. That’s right! By repressing your feelings and adding extra pounds, you may …

Emotional eating: the Dark Truth About Your Intense Cravings

December 14, 2020 by Julie Brow-Polanco

During the holidays and other stressful times of the year, we often eat too much. And then, we make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight. The average person gains about ten extra pounds during the fall months. But, how many times have you made that resolution? How many diets have you tried? For many women who want to lose weight, the ongoing quest to find the perfect diet is pointless. The reality is, no matter which foods are available, the burden of emotional eating will sabotage their efforts. What is emotional eating? Triggered by negative events First, the basic idea …

How to Lift Mood Now! Feel Better Fast!

December 11, 2020 by Julie Brow-Polanco

Do you have a bad mood? Considering today’s environment of uncertainty and chaos, it’s pretty common. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports an increase in depression and anxiety in 2020 over 2019. Their study showed that 40% of adults currently struggle with mental health or substance abuse. But, we cannot stay depressed, anxious, or suicidal. We need ways to lift mood that are easy and help immediately. We also need strategies to keep our spirits up so we don’t fall back into a bad mood. First, let’s talk about why moods are important. Then, we can better …

How to get more energy naturally without supplements

December 10, 2020 by Julie Brow-Polanco

Have you ever woke up and an hour later, you’re ready to go back to bed? At times, I have felt that way and wondered why. After all, sleep should be refreshing, but maybe that’s not enough to give me the energy I need. So, where does energy come from? Quite simply, burning calories. But, why do we sometimes feel tired even when we’re getting plenty of calories? Well, a variety of brain chemicals and hormones may affect your energy levels. In addition, certain organ systems influence metabolism and and alertness. And third, nutritional deficiencies can affect energy production. Let’s …

5 secrets to staying calm in the holiday chaos

December 3, 2020 by Julie Brow-Polanco

We all know that things often get crazy when we’re at the relatives house. It’s noisy. Kids are running around everywhere, maybe bickering, maybe yelling, but definitely getting in the way, right! And, oh no! Aunt Sarah made that dish Michael hated last year. Or, maybe Uncle Eric brings up politics again. With all the chaos, we need ways to stay calm while we’re away from home because it’s nearly impossible to use our usual methods to relieve stress. And, our kids need ways for staying calm so we don’t have any embarrassing incidents. Here are five secret weapons to …

How to relieve stress in minutes naturally

December 2, 2020 by Julie Brow-Polanco

When we’re feeling stressed out, we can’t always get to our favorite method to relieve stress. We need to know how to relieve stress right there in the moment. One of the best ways to to do this is to learn our triggers so we can avoid stress in the first place. Relieve stress by identifying triggers Triggers don’t necessarily have to be physical. There are lots of behaviors, associations, or beliefs that can trigger you also. For instance, maybe a really stressful day with the kids can send you on a shopping spree to relieve the negative feelings. However, …