Newsletter October 2023

Hello friends,

Discover the newest batch of BBB guided meditations (12!); this time with a special edition “mini lesson” on the importance of sleep.

The best part: these guided meditations, in English & French,  can be played practically anywhere. Think road trip, snuggly bed, glamping tent, plane ride, over breakfast cereal or in class.

🎧🚗✈️🏠⛺🌟

Today's newsletter features some beautiful music by an outstanding singer, along with my latest top spot to dine in Los Angeles. Do you know it?

Also, have you heard the word? I started a YouTube channel called “Book Nook by Big Belly Breathing” where I read kids picture books aloud in French and English. What started off as a fun side twist has suddenly grown. In just over 2 weeks, there are nearly 1,200 subscribers. Whaaaat???? 

Can’t stop, won’t stop. 

🎉Big Belly Breathing Newsletter 🎉

🌈 Theme & Breathing Practice 🌬️

Join me this month on the pod, where we grow our joy muscles. Like with everything, the more we cultivate joy, the more we exist in that beautiful world. A focus on joy is even more important since the news bombards us daily with the opposite. To sum up, to lessen our anxiety let’s be “Joy Revolutionaries”!

In this installment, we develop our sense of appreciation and wonder through our unique eagle breathing technique.

🌿 Holistic Health Habits💦

 Yes friends, this is about the massively important topic of ….Strength Training.

You’ve heard the facts, read countless articles (here’s a free NYT one as my gift to you) across your socials touting the benefits and yet it may still be hard to fully pull that plug and prioritize incorporating this into your workout routine.

Which is why I’m here, to tell you one more time: if your life doesn’t include strength training, get on this train ASAP. Call your crew, set a weekly date, join a gym, buy the weights, add this to your shared google calendar. Basically, do whatever it takes to embrace a 1-2x per week minimum plan. 

Goals: Hold a plank for 1 minute, perform a pull up, master a kettlebell swing, squat reps with weights, run with added resistance, join me in a sculpt yoga class at Core Power with weights and switch to heavier ones one month in….. You see where I’m going with this? 

No matter the type of strength training you choose, it's about shifting the mental approach and committing fully to this pursuit. We're not getting any younger.

Weights, yoga, pilates, core strength….these are the rage. Study after study confirms that exercise sans strength training just doesn’t cut it. 

So yes, keep walking, moving, dancing, cycling and ALSO, ADD IN SOME WEIGHTS. Ankle weights from Ross are so cheap. 

You love bullet point PSAs, you say? Perfect, here are the nuts and bolts:

1. Maintaining Vitality: Strength training is key to maintaining vitality as we age. It helps us keep up with the demands of everyday life and stay energetic.

2. Bone Health: Engaging in strength training is vital for maintaining bone density and reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

3. Improved Metabolism: It aids in preserving muscle mass, which in turn helps maintain a higher metabolism, making weight management more manageable.

4. Injury Prevention: Strengthening muscles and joints can help prevent injuries and improve balance and stability.

5. Enhanced Functional Ability: Regular strength training can help maintain or improve functional abilities, allowing us to stay independent as we age.

6. Heart Health: It can contribute to better heart health, as regular exercise supports cardiovascular fitness.

7. Mental Health Benefits: Beyond physical advantages, strength training can positively impact mental health, reducing stress and enhancing mood.

How else can I say this?  YOLO. You Only Live Once. Did we learn anything in the pandemic? Let’s live our most dynamic lives and strength training can significantly improve our overall quality of life. Ok, I’m done for now.

📚 Things I’m Into These Days📚🎨

This section offers you a glimpse into a handful of things that ignite my happiness or inquisitiveness. Here are my most recent fascinations. What are yours?! 

• Valerie June: What a goddess! 

I saw her perform during Hardly Strictly Bluegrass weekend in San Francisco’s Golden Gate park and she mesmerized the crowd. Dare I say, “Best Show” of that entire weekend? Love a bold statement. 

Her music fuses multiple genres, forming a unique and soulful sound described as a blend of folk, blues, soul, and country. Her distinct voice, haunting and raw, embodies heartfelt storytelling, complementing reflective and poetic lyrics drawn from personal experiences and emotions. The result is emotionally rich, soul-stirring music. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

Checkout her albums, and her next performances!

• Auntie Beulah’s Biscuits & Chicken:

Run, don’t walk if you’re in the LA vicinity, or plan a trip to Southern California and hit up Beulah’s as part of your adventure. My long time childhood bestie, Aryn Drake-Lee, whom I met in Kindergarten at French American International School, just opened up this fantastic joint on the corner of Pico & LaBrea. 

It’s a to-go biscuit sandwich shop that serves delicious coffee, and so many sides. The only problem is figuring out what you should order. My first time there I went with the classic Beulah sandwich, and my goddess…I’m not even a biscuit lover and I gobbled that entire fluffy goodness up in one fell swoop. Perhaps it was the sauce, the pickles or the scrumptious fried chicken. All I know is that I want to return and order everything else on the menu too. 

Thankfully I went there with my kids, so I had many sample bites of their food. The tenders were huge and juicy, the mac n cheese disappeared in minutes and the collard greens were just right and tangy.

I’m so pumped for her culinary adventure and so proud of how she has pulled this beautiful project off. It’s a family affair as she’s got her kiddos and brother helping out too. 

LA’s food scene is hot right now, and I can’t wait for legit outlets to write about it. But you heard it here first. BOOM.

• Lion’s Mane Tincture by Fungi Valley:  

To be clear, these are not magic mushrooms. This is a tincture I stumbled upon exactly one year ago in a farmer’s market in Los Angeles, and which I keep rebuying. I’m on my 4th batch.

The guy had me when he said that this was good for brain health. At the time, I was in full project development mode and figured I needed all of the extra brain boost I could afford. However, it truly does work and I can’t stop buying. 

Fact: I’m still not a dr. So, follow all medical advice with real healthcare professionals, but the world of adaptogens is the one I’m leaning towards! Lion's Mane may have neuroprotective properties. Some studies suggest that it could support brain health by promoting the growth and repair of nerve cells, potentially improving cognitive functions and memory. Okkkkkk!

Is that enough or do you want more than just cognitive health bonus points? There is some evidence that Lion's Mane might help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, possibly by affecting the pathways related to these conditions.

In any case, this is a LA locally grown wet extract tincture and my boosted brain is proof in the pudding. Ha! Long live adaptogens, and if you’re into how mushrooms might be the secret to all of our problems, check out the movie on Netflix The Fantastic Fungi. Here’s the trailer.

Stay tuned for the next episodes of Big Belly Breathing, where we strive to spark creativity, mindfulness, and joy in our little ones' lives.

Thank you for your enthusiasm, in whatever form it has taken❤️

Subscribe, listen to the pod, spread the word, buy the merch and stay in touch~

Take BIG care, 

Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely

Host of Big Belly Breathing

www.bigbellybreathing.com 

P.S. Stay connected on Instagram,  TikTok and now YouTube 💌📲