From Illness to Impact - Reclaim your Health, Overcome Overwhelm and Learn how Magnesium can Heal with Kristen Bowen

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October 5, 2021 - Episode #79 - From Illness to Impact - Reclaim your Health, Overcome Overwhelm and Learn how Magnesium can Heal with Kristen Bowen

From a series of failed surgeries, being bedridden and suffering with autoimmune issues to successfully creating a wellness brand focused on healing, our guest Kristen Bowen has truly gone from illness to impact.  Her story will shock you and you will be absolutely blown away by our discussion about THE miracle mineral that you are deficient in.  We talk health, healing, life, magnesium, absorption and overcoming the overwhelm.  Join us and be encouraged, today on Healthy Harmony.

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FULL TRANSCRIPT

October 5, 2021 - Episode #79 - From Illness to Impact - Reclaim your Health, Overcome Overwhelm and Learn how Magnesium can Heal with Kristen Bowen

 
Speaker 1:
From a series of failed surgeries, being bedridden and suffering with auto-immune issues to successfully creating a wellness brand focused on healing. Our guests, Kristen Bowen has truly gone from illness to impact her story will shock you, and you will be absolutely blown away by our discussion about the miracle mineral that you're deficient in. We talk health healing, life, magnesium absorption, and overcoming the overwhelm. Join us and be encouraged today on healthy harmony.
 
Welcome to the healthy harmony podcast. I'm Jennifer Pickett, Dietitian turned functional medicine, health coach. I help spiraling moms overcome the overwhelm, their functional wellness coaching for the body, mind, and soul that they can transform their health and live a deeply fulfilled life of freedom and harmony let's get real when it comes to your health, you know what to do. I strongly believe that to make the shift from knowing to doing you must apply mindfulness, listen to your body address what's really driving that behavior. Be intentional and finally practice some self-compassion. The last 24 years of experience have taught me that the absolute last thing, a woman needs is a lecture about self-care and another unrealistic diet plan. I recognize the importance of compassionate and intentional health practices. So you can feel good because guess what, when you feel good, you are more likely to make better decisions for your health. If you're ready to take control of your complete health, address the obstacles standing in your way and live a life of freedom and harmony you, my friend, are in the right place.
 
If you are loving this podcast and it brings you valuable information and encourages you don't forget, leave at rating and a review. Here is a review from preschool princess. Jennifer is awesome at sharing relevant information, as well as practical tips. I end every episode feeling like I can do something rather than feeling guilty that I haven't done something preschool prince says, thank you so much for that awesome review.
 
I appreciate it. That puts a big smile on my face. And that's how I want all of you guys to feel. I want you to feel like, hey, I can do this. You've got enough stuff that overwhelmed you. And so when it comes to your health, when it comes to self-care, I want you to feel like you can do this. So thank you so much for leaving that review. And guys, I encourage you. Please leave a review and a rating. I would appreciate it. Also, one other thing, there is a fantastic Facebook community that you need to be a part of. You can access that group by going to Bitly forward slash fem women's wellness. It is a fantastic place to get in a community, practical tips for a woman, just like you. So join us there.
 
It took a complete health crash to lead Kristen Bowen to create living the good life naturally. After a series of failed surgeries, auto-immune issues, seizures, and being completely bedridden. She took her health into her own hands and through extensive research and out of the box solutions discovered that to regain her health, she needed a solid foundation. That foundation included food as medicine. And then number one, building block for optimal health magnesium. She discovered that oral magnesium was not nearly as effective and began using liquid magnesium as a fit soap. Today, she's gone from debilitating illness to tremendous impact, and she is the founder of living the good life. Naturally, Kristen story will, and how she has suffered will shock you. And you'll be in so encouraged by her simple and kind words on self-care and overcoming the overwhelm. Lastly, you will be absolutely surprised at this miracle mineral that we all need. Let's welcome, Kristen Bowen. I am so excited to have Kristen Bowen with me today. Welcome Kristen.
 
Speaker 2:
Oh, I'm excited to be here, but even more excited that you just finished soaking isn't that greatness?
 
Speaker 1:
So I know our listeners are like soaking - what is she talking about? So we're going to get into soaking because I have made that part of my health practice, you have had a very positive influence on me. And so I was just saying, you know, Hey, this podcast is going to be like, we're just sitting around soaking and talking over a cup of mushroom coffee or a cup of tea. It'll be fun. I love it. So I know you're very, very passionate about health and that comes at a brilliant, a cost you've gone through a tremendous health struggle, honestly, a complete health crash. So tell us more about that.
 
Speaker 2:
So long story, very short is I went in for a bladder tie up. They put titanium in me to hold up my bladder so that it wouldn't leak anymore. At the time, I did not realize that I had what's called Melissa syndrome and that's an auto-immune response to titanium. The other issue was they used a cadaver graph that was bought off market that had mold. And so the combination of the mold and the reaction to the titanium just shut down my system. So I was in a wheelchair having seizures, catheter feeding tubes, and it was like that for three and a half years. And I had young children in my home. So when people say to me, oh, Kristen, that's so expensive to be healthy. I beg to differ the things my family lost and what my children lost, can never be replaced with any amount of money. I think that they're much more expensive to lose your health. And I will never be able to replace some of those things that were lost.
 
Speaker 1:
My goodness. I mean, what a absolute disaster and for that to last so long. So you said it lasted three and a half years. How in the world did you overcome that? The being in a wheelchair and the seizures and how did you overcome that? What did you do?
 
Speaker 2:
So as what ended up happening, and I have very little memory of this, so this is my husband's and my mom's recollections because I was so out of it. I was very insulated during that time where my family was living it and walking it every day. And so my quality of life had decreased so much. My husband actually took a leave of absence and just took me from Mayo to Stanford doctor, to doctor, just chasing doctors, anyone that we, that he heard of that had maybe helped an out of the box situation. And finally, we found he was listening to a radio show and a PA was talking out of the box solutions and he thought I'm going to take her there. And that PA had had a previous experience with titanium and said, I want to do some research, but I think I know what it is.
 
And so we, they opted at the time to take the titanium out, huge risk for my mom and husband to make, but they decided to, because the quality of my life was so low. I felt better when the titanium came out, immediately felt better, but I was still a mess. I was down at about 74 pounds at my lowest I'm five, seven. That's not a healthy weight person. That's five, seven. I was still having seizure like activity. At that point, the full-blown seizure stopped when the titanium came out, but I had no quality of life whatsoever and we'd lost everything. And so at the time it was desperate and horrific, but looking back, some really beautiful things came from that because I didn't have the ability to go and try different things. There was no money, it was everything we could do to put food on the table for those children. And so, because of that, I had to really start taking more responsibility for my health. And I hadn't been doing that because I lived in the state of overwhelm raising those kids. And when you're overwhelmed to hand someone more responsibility just increases the overwhelm.
 
Speaker 1:
I think that statement alone just stopped everyone in their tracks, that state of overwhelm. And I, you know, I know that that is so often a state I have operated in and oftentimes we are so used to operating in that state of overwhelm. We don't even realize it and you're right. We cannot move forward when we're in that state. So how did you, oh, how did you overcome the overwhelm?
 
Speaker 2:
So I have a friend that, well, the, the moment that I overcame it was I, my husband I'd go to church every week. That was my big day out. My husband would carry me. My little girls would wash my hair and dry it for me. And I can remember, and I do. I remember this, I was sitting in the wheelchair and I've got tubes and I'm having seizures and she didn't know it, but I knew it. I had actually urinated during a seizure in public. I was mortified. I was absolutely mortified. I was losing my hair and she came up to me and she passed out. She patted my leg and she said, how are you feeling? And it was the first time that I'd answered, honestly, because normally I would do this. Oh, I'm good. How are you? I'm good. I’m Good.  I have a tendency to do that download. We do. And it's, for me, I'm not saying for anyone else, for me, that was absolutely dishonest. I was not good. And I was at such a personal low. This is pitiful sitting in the wheelchair in my own urine, in public, not being able to call out for my husband, you know, not, I, it was just, I was honest with her. And I said, actually, this is one of the worst days of my life. I can't get to my kids. I need my husband. And I think I just wet my pants.
 
What was her response? Are you ready?
 
Yeah. At the time, I didn't realize how powerful it was. It's only in looking back, she padded my leg and she said, well, at least you're skinny.
 
Speaker 1:
You have got to be kidding me.
 
Speaker 2:
And in that moment, because I chase that 5, 10, 15, sometimes 20 pounds after a baby, I've chased that my whole life, you know, chased it, looking something better, something better. And in that moment, I realized this has nothing to do about weight for me. It has to do with my life. Yes. And the quality of my life and the ability that I have to interact with my children. And so I call that claiming your why. And then when you claim your why, and you claim it strongly, that helps you stay connected to action. Now, my wife has changed my why now is these beautiful five little grand babies I have. And I love trees. And I love to be on my knees and play trains. So my why has changed, but it still is connected to those things that I deeply love and being connected to your wife, cuts the overwhelm. And one thing I want people to understand overwhelm is not an emotion. It's a direct consequence for inaction.
 
Speaker 1:
My goodness. I never one more time. Repeat that one more time. That's good.
 
Speaker 2:
Overwhelm is not an emotion. It's a direct consequence for an action. And that overwhelm it. If I had a penny for every time, a woman said to me, Kristen, I'm really overwhelmed. I could make a lot of change. I'm, I'm a, what you call a social entrepreneur. So I create things to enrich the lives of children. Everything I do is about that. I could create a lot of amazing things for children, because we all have a tendency to buy into that overwhelm and with the flood of social media. And we have more information at our fingertips. Guess what the overwhelm is increasing more overwhelm means a higher magnesium burn rate. All of that information, all of that research that we're doing is walking us away from the very mineral that we need to create optimal health at the foundational level.
 
Speaker 1:
Oh, I love it. Okay. Now you referenced something and I want us to go there. That story is it's. It's so tragic on so many levels. It's also, it makes, it just brings up so many feelings of anger. I mean, the way she responded, she could have spoken words of grace and encouragement love, but instead she very quickly said, at least you're skinny. Like that just makes me so angry.
 
Speaker 2:
It was almost like she was, she was envious and projecting on me. Those very things that she wanted. And if you're someone who's chased weight and spent so much time and energy trying to fit this perfect mold, it, it becomes a never-ending chase, a never-ending chase. And so many of us are caught up in that. And I'm so grateful that she said that to me. I have such incredible gratitude for that because it helped stop my own personal chase of that last five pounds.
 
Speaker 1:
Okay. So what then I want us to talk about magnesium cause you referenced magnesium. And so I'm so excited, but I want us to, first of all, how did you overcome the wheelchair, the wetting yourself, the seizures. How did you overcome that? Where was the turning point here where you started to experience better health?
 
Speaker 2:
So a huge part was taking out the mold on the cadaver graft and the titanium. I still had massive issues. I chemical sensitivities, I couldn't eat food, struggled, keeping it down, digestive issues, brain fog issues. And it was learning about magnesium now to those people who are listening right now, who are desperate, who are tired, who are overwhelmed, it does not cure everything. I am not insinuating that magnesium will cure everything. It is where the problems started for everything in your body. That's not working though. And so the first time that I was introduced to magnesium, I felt that immediate benefit, not everyone does, but I did. And that's when I was able to start putting those, those energy, I call them energy points in place and the more energy points I got in place, the more my body was able to heal.
 
Speaker 1:
Oh, I love it. So tell us more about magnesium. I mean, you, you referenced it as the optimal building block for good health. I mean, clearly this is like a big deal, and I think it's not getting enough attention. So tell us more about magnesium.
 
Speaker 2:
Magnesium is the ultimate mineral, and it's where everything starts. Think of spark plugs. If your car doesn't have spark plugs, it can have all the gas, it can have the oil changed, but if you don't have spark plugs, you're not going anywhere. Magnesium is that for your body. And so that mineral is determined how we hold onto it is determined by how we breathe, how much gratitude we experience, the sugar that we eat, the foods that we eat, we are so powerful that we determine the flow of minerals in our body. And so soaking in that magnesium and understanding your individual burn rate has become my mission for the last 20 years. I love it. I love it now.
 
Speaker 1:
Magnesium is a mineral and it can be found in food. So tell us real quick, where were those foods? What those foods are?
 
Speaker 2:
Oh, two, highest dark chocolate and avocados. I love it. Good healthy foods. But you, you reference, is it, is it possible to get enough magnesium from the foods that you? No, because of the overuse of synthetic fertilizers, that red pepper that our grandparents ate that was loaded with magnesium now does not even have trace amounts because the synthetic fertilizers have bound the magnesium in the soil and that's not able to uptake it. Even in organic soil.
 
Speaker 1:
My Goodness, we can't get it from our food. So we're on plan B, plan C we're on plan. So let's talk about plan B because I'm thinking naturally our thought is okay, if I'm not getting enough from the foods that I ate, I'm going to take a supplement. I'm going to put it with my other supplements and I'm going to take a supplement. Is that possible? What's wrong with that strategy?
 
Speaker 2:
Absolutely. You can take a supplement. It will never get you to cell saturation. And that cell saturation is where your mitochondria, which is the powerhouse of your cell. It needs magnesium to start over 55 different processes just in the mitochondria. And you're not going to get that level of magnesium from a pill. So personally, I think magnesium and pill form, you're missing the boat. When it comes to all the benefits of magnesium, you're just touching the surface and maybe getting some better sleep and maybe reducing muscle fatigue and sore muscles.
 
Speaker 1:
And I just think it's so interesting. Again, magnesium, hasn't gotten a lot of attention as with a lot of, of these kinds of things, but it's you said 55 different processes in the mitochondria,
 
Speaker 2:
A thousand processes in your body. And the more science learns, the higher that numbers get that number gets. So when I first started, it was 300 processes in your body that scientists said, oh, you need magnesium for this. And now it's up to a thousand processes in your body that have been proven that you need magnesium for that process to start. But you and I are recording this in 2021. And I think now more than ever in the world, we understand and all desire, a strong immune system. Yes. Get that strong immune system. We all know vitamin D is paramount. That's what you don't convert your vitamin D into active vitamin D without enough magnesium. So if your vitamin D levels have ever come back low, that actually is a magnesium issue.
 
Speaker 1:
Oh, holy moly. Okay. So what else, how else would someone know or what are some other signs of magnesium deficiency?
 
Speaker 2:
Okay. So one way you can know is a magnesium red blood cell test. That is the gold standard. You can buy that online for about $50, very inexpensive. You want your numbers between 6.3 and 7.4. Another way I rate problems, adrenal problems, hair loss, digestion, skin problems, microbiome problems, eye problems, hormonal problems, anger problems, rage problems, mental health. I am someone that mental health is a huge part of what drives me and the glutamate receptors in your brain for depression and anxiety. When you experience that glutamate is high magnesium clears out those glutamate receptors. Again, not saying that it has fixed all of my depression. It has not. I want to be very clear on that to your listeners. It does make a massive difference though. And all of those things, bones, bone density, pancreas, blood sugar, oh, heart, heart, heart, heart, magnesium for our heart. So I mean, the list just goes on and on it, it literally it's, it starts everything in your body. It, it just starts everything.
 
Speaker 1:
I said, it's a spark plug. And I think as you were listing all of that, I think all of our listeners are like, oh, goodness, that's me check, check, check, check, check. And so now we know we can't get enough from our food. Just taking a supplement orally is really not going to be enough. So what is plan C like give us the answer. What did you find is the answer here to give us that crucial mineral that we so desperately need?
 
Speaker 2:
Soaking and then undiluted see brine of magnesium. We, it can be manufactured in the mat in a lab and purchased very inexpensively and called magnesium chloride, but that magnesium does not have the co-factors and the co-factors help you uptake the magnesium and hold it in the cell. So you want that manufactured from the cleanest source possible, and you want it on diluted.
 
Speaker 1:
I love it. And you guys have that, you have a company, we call it living good life naturally. And you guys were sweet enough to send me a magnesium soak. And so, as soon as I learned about you and started doing my own research about your company and about magnesium, cause I knew enough about magnesium to go, okay, I know I need this. And the more I've learned, the more I've been intrigued. So I have been, like you said, at the beginning of the show, I have been soaking. And for me it has it's made me be more intentional. And I think there's such a beautiful part of that when it comes to really like taking control of our health, it takes intentionality for me to go fill up my container, put my little, you know with water and then put the soap in there. The magnesium soak a solution in there and then sit there with my feet soaking. And so I'm wanting to know more about your product and why it's so beneficial
 
Speaker 2:
Because it bypasses digestion. You cannot, you can take magnesium orally, but if you took enough orally to achieve cell saturation, you would have absolute stomach distress and issues. And so our magnesium, my promise to you, my family still fills it. We have team other team members and employees, but my family, my adult children have all come. Not all several of them have come into the business and they're in charge of filling magnesium and making sure we have enough bottles to ship out all over the country. And so our promise is that we will never dilute that magnesium for profit. We will always ship out the same magnesium that restored their mom's health.
 
Speaker 1:
I love it. I love it. Now. I just love what has come out of your devastating story and how your health has been turned around and now you're helping. So, so many others. I just think it's so very valuable. You and I were talking earlier before the podcast started, we were just chatting about being intentional and you had just some beautiful words to share that really got me thinking. So give me your thoughts on us just being intentional with our health and just the pressure that we're under as moms.
 
Speaker 2:
I think number one, as moms, we're always thinking about other others and they, they need things from us and we have to make that decision to put ourselves first help will not happen unless certain moments of your day, you're willing to put yourself first and you can just soak in magnesium and do what I call stacking of functions. We know multitasking doesn't work. We're truly not are our human brain is not capable of multitasking. Stacking of functions is where you're doing one thing and it's not taking away from another thing that you're doing. So for example, I can soak in magnesium and FaceTime grand babies, and that doesn't take away from either thing. It's just a stacking of functions. And sometimes that's what I do. There are other times though that I take intentional moments. And as I, so it's a ritual, like making a cup of tea. And as I gather my supplies and as I soak, I start going inward and I do inventory. Am I where I want to be today? Am I thinking the thoughts that will empower myself today? Am I choosing words that will empower other women? And sometimes that answer is no. And so I go and I do an inventory. I look back for 24 hours. Now you can do this and beat yourself up and actually drain your magnesium levels if you allow yourself critic. So this has to be done from a place of love. I want you to treat yourself as beautifully as you would treat me. If you were verbally giving me inventory, you would be gracious and kind with your words, and I need you to be the same way to yourself. And as you look back and inventory, the last 24 hours, did I use them wisely or did I find things just to fill my time?
 
I know sometimes I can scroll social media a little bit, but that wasn't the intent of my day to be on social media. It was a way that I covered my overwhelm. I covered my indecision. And so I think like, yeah, I am too. And so it's a way that I can look back the last 24 hours and then 48 hours and just do a loving inventory of what I've done well, and really experienced that like, oh, I have touched base with every grand baby and every child today. And they know I love them. And so I can celebrate those things. And then I can look at the things, oh, I got lost for 30 minutes scrolling Facebook when I could have been doing a higher priority item with my time. And so it's just a time that I really like to go inwards and really make my breath intentional. My thoughts intentional as my body uptakes that magnesium.
 
Speaker 1:
I love it. And that really inspires me to do some things a little bit differently. You know, there's been times where I was soaking my feet and I was, you know, maybe responding to some emails or working on a presentation or working on a podcast. But I love that, you know, doing an inventory and really focusing on the breath work again, that's something that I'm, I am learning and not, you know, I'm also realizing how often I have just been burning the candle at both ends and so focused on being a good wife, being a good mom, being a solid business owner, and I'm losing my health in the process. And I think these small intentional practices are so hugely beneficial and there is time, especially if I'm taking a good inventory of my time. And I'm being honest with myself while practicing self-compassion because I think we do, you know, if we're holding onto the guilt and the shame we cannot move forward. So we've gotta be careful with that inner critic, but practice themselves compassion and put some of these simple things in place. But there's something about soaking our feet in the magnesium solution that it just, it's one of those very intentional practices which I think is so very beneficial. If we can slow down and understand how dramatically that impacts our health and our emotional wellbeing,
 
Speaker 2:
You know, and I think it's so interesting as women that that's my focus is women. And over the last 20 years, I realized we all have a pattern. And that is caught up in doing, doing, doing, doing to make a difference in the lives of others and on the surface. Doesn't that sound wonderful. Making a difference at first glance.
 
Speaker 1:
Yes
 
Speaker 2:
But underneath it, sometimes we're driven to make a difference to qualify our worth. Oh, good. When we're doing that, when we're doing to qualify our worth, we have a very high magnesium burn rate. And so I like to look at it as I'm not a human doing. I'm a human being and that time that I'm soaking in magnesium, I'm being, I'm just being present in the moment I'm being present in my body. I like to take really deep cleansing breaths and just notice what my toes feel like, notice what my calves feel like, have gratitude for my stomach, my heart, my hearing, and just literally started the tip of my toes and go up and just step into that active gratitude while I'm soaking in that magnesium to help remind my body. I'm not worth what I do. I am worthy because I am
 
Speaker 1:
Such a powerful, powerful statement. I think you're so right. We are so used to getting stuck in that trap of being a human doing and we're doing and doing, and as women we're so focused on productivity, how can we multitask? How can I get something done? And, you know, as I work with my clients every single day, these women, and, you know, as I literally give them an excuse, do this rating, what do you like to do to relax? And someone will say, well, I like to read good, please take some time to read. And she's like, well, I mean, I've got stuff to do. You also need to. And so we need these restorative practices because we're so focused on productivity. And it's interesting to hear you talk about how, as we are so focused on productivity that is dramatically affecting our health on cellular levels that we had. Absolutely no idea. So we're literally depleting our body of this essential mineral, as we're trying to focus on being I'm doing so much and we're so overwhelmed.
 
Speaker 2:
Well, and think about it. If, because many women that I work out work with, feel like they've become a shell of their former self. How well are we really doing things and loving people and connecting with people and serving people, if we're a shell of who we really are. And so we get caught in that trap of thinking we're doing all these amazing things, my biggest regret, and all of my children are launched. And my biggest regret is I did a lot of the most crucial parts of their parenting, a burned-out shell of who I really am. I, I thought I was offering them the best and to change that I just needed to shift from doing, to being
 
Speaker 1:
Love it, love it. And making that shift automatically starts to fill you back up when you shift from doing to being. And so it's, it's not something you have to go do.
 
Speaker 2:
They figure out, oh, how do I do that? You just step into being, and you have worth today because you're you. I learned that when I wasn't able to do, and I laid on that couch for three and a half years, I became suicidal because I wasn't doing anything to show. I see, I'm good. I'm good. See what? I just did this, I accomplished this. I did this. I, I couldn't do that. And it was my husband who helped step. He stepped in and said, Kristin, your worth has not changed because you're on the couch. Your worth is the same. And so stepping into that worth and not connecting it to what we do helps you attract help instead of chase help and chasing help is exhausting. It's expensive. And it burns through your magnesium.
 
Speaker 1:
You have so many good at words of wisdom here just at attracting health instead of chasing health. And that's something that I speak about often, because if someone's health strategies that they're so focused on doing, and just their health strategy is so stressful, you're really shooting yourself in the foot. And so what practices can we put in place to attract better health instead of chasing health? Just so very powerful. You're, you're just absolute one of my favorite people. You've got this beautiful soul and we haven't even gotten to speak before today. So I just feel like we've been friends for a long time. So I just, I have loved having you on the show and I'm very sad that our time is coming to an end. So two things first give our listeners I want them to know where they can find your products because very, very valuable products that the body desperately needs and putting in forth those intentional practices.
 
Speaker 2:
So they can go to living the good life, naturally.com,
 
Speaker 1:
Love it. And our listeners will get a discount. Is that correct?
 
Speaker 2:
Well, we set up a discount for them. My love language is giving gifts. And so we set up a discount for them specifically for your listeners that they will receive 10% off when they purchase magnesium products.
 
Speaker 1:
I love it. So there is an affiliate link and you guys out we'll post that in the show notes, so you can be sure and get that discount. And thank you so much for your generosity. I appreciate that. I know our listeners are going to be like, Hey, I can do this. This is something that I can add into my health practice so that I can attract health. As we wrap up can you give our listeners just one more word of encouragement that you want to leave them with?
 
Speaker 2:
Oh, absolutely. The most powerful thing that they can do is not to create a gratitude list, but actively create gratitude internally. So for example, think of one of my favorite mornings was Christmas morning as a gift giver. I loved Christmas morning with my little ones and they were so excited and I was so excited that feeling that was created, that's the feeling we need to create. When we think about the things that we're grateful for, active gratitude, changes your life, not just a gratitude list, I'm grateful for this and this and that we can all, but when you do the work and it takes work to create that internal feeling. And I like to, you know, think of that Christmas morning, that excitement and you feel it on the inside, or maybe you got a beautiful new pair of shoes and you feel it on the inside, that's active gratitude. And that's what makes creating help easy. And it flows to you instead of the pathway you might be on now of chasing it when you feel overwhelmed and exhausted. Yes.
 
Speaker 1:
Oh, such powerful words of encouragement and something. Again, it goes back to that active gratitude, being a part of your being, not doing, I have to have to do a gratitude list and I have to do this. I have to do that. But just that active, the gratitude being grateful. Yes. Don't wait until November, right? I mean, this is all the time. All the time I get tickled at, you know, all the gratitude challenges in November and I'm like, we don't need to wait until November. We can be grateful you're around, but how often have I not been truly not practice gratitude or had that active gratitude because I was operating in a state of overwhelm. I just think it's an easy trap to fall into.
 
Speaker 2:
You have all the beautiful things in life. It's that quietly, silently, takes those things from you that you're wanting at such a deep level.
 
Speaker 2:
Oh, I hear you such powerful words of wisdom. I know our listeners might want to connect with you. So where can they find out more about you?
 
Speaker 2:
So I am very active on YouTube and Facebook living the good life. Naturally. I have an email newsletter. I'm not quite as consistent on Instagram, sometimes falls by the wayside, but a little bit on Instagram, but I'm very active on Facebook and YouTube.
 
Speaker 1:
I love it. I love it. And I'll make sure we have all of those links listed in our show notes, because this has just been, I didn't put a smile on my face. It's been very uplifting and encouraging. So I can't thank you enough for joining us today.
 
Speaker 2:
Well, thank you for having me on and one day, my goal is you and I in real life, then down soaking in magnesium and drinking a beautiful cup of tea and just being with each other. Okay.
 
Speaker 1:
The, oh, I love it. That is my goal as well. If y'all could see us, we can see each other, but we're just getting the audio and we're both grinning from ear to ear. Like that's just the beauty of a fast friendship. So I love it. Thank you for joining us, Kristen. Thank you. You can see, while Kristen has been one of my absolute favorite guest, I just loved her words of wisdom. Just great information, but also just the kindness. And it comes from a place of tremendous struggle. I mean, her story blows my mind and it was just shocking. But that lady said to her as she's sitting there completely debilitated in a wheelchair, just out on that kind of stuff gets me fired up so you can see why she was just bit one of my absolute favorite guests to such a kind soul and just our conversation about overcoming the overwhelm.
 
So I hope you enjoy that. We're going to be continuing the conversation on our Facebook community page. Again, you can access that by going to Bitly forward slash FTM women's wellness. I don't want you to miss out on anything. We all need community. And this is a place for a very positive community that just encourages you with simple up-to-date information to help you overcome the overwhelm. So I will see you on that Facebook page and tune in next, but only if you have trouble with sugar cravings and you have trouble with that, that, that won't budge. Okay. So tune in next week, I'm going to be talking about balancing your blood sugar, the secret to burning fat and banishing cravings. So join me until then. I hope you have a healthy and happy week. Bye, yall.