My 10 things for a healthy lifestyle routine

Since the beginning of 2013, I have been fully dedicated to self-care. I’ve been able to add, move around, and get comfortable with a routine that feels good for me and is easy to hang on to. I’d like to share it with you:

1. Coconut oil has found a place in my heart, my kitchen cupboard, and my bathroom vanity. I use 100% pure organic virgin coconut oil. It’s important that you source a brand that is virgin and organic. I use this as a face and body cream, straight up. At times I will apply a small amount to the tips of my hair. I also use coconut oil as the main oil when cooking. I use the Nutiva brand. You can find it almost anywhere. I buy mine at Planet Organic or Blush Lane. UPDATE: Here is a great video about coconut oil by the lovely Bianca of Vitality Guide for Women.
2. Exercise is key to a healthy life. I’m not talking about having to sweat it out 5 days a week in a 90 min moksha class. I’m talking about taking 10 minutes every morning and night to just stretch it out. I’m hoping you do other activity throughout the day whether it be walking, running, taking care of kids, gardening, etc. I find that if you set up activities in bite-sized chunks throughout your day your level of compliance will be much higher. I stumbled upon Tara Stiles. Right now she is doing a yoga challenge and providing FREE YouTube videos that you can follow. Check her out and get stretching.
3. Right after my yoga I settle into my day with a 15 minute guided meditation. I did Deepak Chopra and Oprah’s 21 day mediation challenge and fell in love with it. So after that I purchased the other mediation series: love, abundance, perfect health. I highly recommend that you try out some guided mediation tools. It will help you ease into the practice and develop a habit. Search around for ones that you like. There are free ones available too. Check out Deepak here.
4. The first thing I do every morning is I have a glass of warm water with lemon. This helps to clear away the cobwebs, aids in digestion, alkalizes the body, and so much more. To add to that, I recently bought a Santevia. This little beauty filters your water and returns it to its natural alkalize state. Your body needs this. Acidity breeds dis-ease. You can purchase one at Planet Organic.
5. I was never a big supporter of supplements. The reality is, with the state of our food, water, and soil, we just cannot get everything we need anymore from our food source. It is a sad state of affairs. One day it will return to its natural state, I have faith in this. For now, find our what you are missing. Currently I am taking a multi-vitamin and vitamin D. It has made a huge difference in my energy and mood levels.
6. This is a tough one, but so, so, so important…planning healthy eating throughout your day. After my yoga and mediation I have my first meal. Usually it is a bowl of oats, or quinoa. I may add a green juice. The trick is to keep nourishing your body throughout the day with healthy choices so that you don’t grab that pastry or coffee. I pack my water with me, fruit, sometimes some veggies, and nuts. This will help me sustain my energy levels and satiate my appetite. If you cannot do this, then make healthy choices when you are eating out. The secret it is keep yourself well-fueled so you don’t go for that quick fix.
7. WATER! I love water but am very bad at remembering to drink it. Trust me, after you get into the habit of properly hydrating yourself you will notice many miracles happening: no more dark circles under your eyes, increased energy, good mood, decrease in hunger, glowing skin, healthy nails, shiny hair, decrease in stomach acid and increase in healthy digestion. If you have problems remembering to drink, guess what, there is an app for that!
8. Taking time out to read. Whatever it is you desire: fiction, non-fiction, work-related, etc. Take at least 30 minutes a day to do some reading. It is almost like a mini mediation. It can be soothing, inspiring, and exercises your brain. We tend to use our right side of the brain increasing our creative muscles more. It helps to bring perspective to our day and helps us to be in the present.
9. Surround yourself with positive and like-minded people and make a habit of spending time with them each week. I have a great group that I am committed to touching base with once a week. We share things that may be challenging, inspiring, and just lend an ear to each other. When you share, you shake the shackles of fear and realize that you are not alone. It’s a great practice for your heart, and ego.
10. Lastly, and most importantly, I keep a gratitude journal. Every night I recount my day and write down the things that I am grateful for. The goal is to think about this throughout your day. Live each day in the present. Give thanks to the gifts that life gives you. Take the opportunity to always give back. Leave your past in the past and focus on the present. When you bring your past into your present, it becomes your future. Be grateful for a brand new day, everyday.

SURPRISE, I have to add one more for good measure. It’s probably the most important…SMILE. Every second of everyday, smile to yourself, smile to others. A smile is a door to an open heart.

Wait…one more…listen to music and dance every day. Even if it is just for 5 minutes, in the shower, in the kitchen, in your car…wherever your are, just dance.

I probably could add more, but those would be my essentials. I would LOVE to hear what you include in your daily regimen. Share with me your tips, tricks, and must-haves!

To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.  ~Buddha

Catch up!

Let’s play a little game called Catch-up! In bullet form, in no particular order, this is what we have been up to so far:

1. We had an Edmonton Wedding After Party. Beautiful night! Amazing cake by Bluebird Cakes. It was a moulin rouge theme! My dear friend Vania, AKA Canadian Hostess did our dessert table! And my wonderful friend, Heather de Kok, did our flowers!
2. I continued hunting for work as a Marketing and Communications Consultant. I landed a fun gig at the Citadel. You can follow me @citadeltheatre
3. Sameh landed a few project-based jobs doing renos and painting. His latest project was the transformation of T3, Transcend Coffee on Jasper Ave.
4. I’ve been working on my culinary skills and have perfected the perfect bowl of soup. A way to a man’s heart is truly through his tummy ;)
5. Sameh has converted to a true Canadian: he checks the weather every day!
6. Sameh also passed his learners. Sadly, Egypt does not have a partnership program with Canada. Next is the road test.
7. I’m forever planning our next holiday, but I suppose we need some steady work first!
8. I think we have settled on a business name for Sameh’s painting company: Pharaoh Painting.
9. I’ve cut out coffee. Sorry Transcend. But I love love love your soy chai lattes!
10. Sameh has met my good friends Alana and Jason and their boys: H1, H2, and H3. There is love ALL around!

Next…more frequent blog posts. Check me out on @pamellalee as well!

10 Cool Things about Egypt

#2 Hospitality

I know, I know, whenever visiting any new country people are quick to say, “The people are so friendly!” This is great. Like people say Canadians are polite, Egyptians are extremely giving people! The first moment you meet an Egyptian you become family, instantly. You are invited for food, tea, and to spend the night. In my experience a typical visit goes like this:

1. A tour of their home.
2. Introduction to ALL the family members and friends who are in attendance.
3. Then you must sit and the beverages begin: coffee, Nescafe, water, juice, pop, you name it.
4. Then the meal. This can consist of rice, mashi, meats like beef, chicken or even lamb, salad, pita, fish, French fries, falafel, etc.
5. Next is sitting to talk and to drink, again. Nescafe, coffee, water, pop, juice, etc.
6. Then of course fruit. It is very typical to be served a plate or platter with apples, bananas, guava, oranges, and a knife of course for peeling and cutting.
7. THEN maybe some type of dessert. Possibly the treats you brought as a thank you gift. This could be basbousa, or any other of the tasty honey drenched phyllo pastry desserts (stay tuned because one of my all time favourite Egyptian desserts made it in my top 10). YUM!
8. And when you think you are finished and are in the clear, they will serve you more food and drink to make you stay!
9. Throughout your whole visit it is pretty safe to say that there are children there too. Children are considered a blessing in Egyptian culture and when they are young they can do no wrong. They are truly treated like little kings and queens! No visit would be complete without playing with the children!
10. And when the night is over your asked to promise to visit again!

Another form of graciousness that I witness in Egypt is the giving of time. Sure people here have people to see and places to go, but along their way if their help and time is needed, no problem, no hesitation. When parking, in a blink of an eye, you have at least 3 Egyptians guiding you into your spot! GPS, who needs it! I love have we navigate the streets in ANY city, we pull up alongside a taxi and ask for directions as we are driving. They will ALWAYS give us directions, and sometimes they will even tell us to follow them! LOVE IT!

And of course there is the service in cafes and restaurants. Egypt is speckled with cafes. You think Parisians like to sit in cafes. Think again. Egyptians have nailed this as an art form that maybe the Parisians tried to copy! We have found our favourite cafe in Alexandria called Arabian Nights. Pretty typical I know. We have had three separate visits to Alexandria now. There has been some time in between each visit. When we come back to our cafe they certainly remember! They see us from the street. If we are driving they will direct us to a parking spot. Once we enter into the cafe there are at least three servers there to greet us and take us to our table. My dad came with us a few times and enjoyed himself. Arabian Nights is located on Corniche on the east side where all the beaches are. You can sit inside or outside. They serve coffee and tea beverages as well as the most amazing fruit cocktails you have ever seen! They also serve dessert as well. Hospitality you say? Well, their menu is not extensive, but they will get you whatever you want. Fries you say? No problem they will fetch you fries from the nearest vendor. This is service in my opinion. They want you to stay and they will provide you whatever service you need!

Egypt is the land of the most hospitable and gracious people I have ever met! I have many families here in Egypt. Oh and one last thing, if you need money, no matter how little or how much, people here will pool their money together like a bank to help each other out. There are no questions. This is how it works. Even if you have no money to loan, you will find some just to help out your friend.

Finally, Egyptians truly understand the meaning of giving and while the word karma may not be in their vocabulary, the concept is a part of their everyday life.

Egypt is filled with friendly people who make visiting and living here easy, simple, and extremely safe!