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Simply Sarena

Simply Sarena

Home | Blog | One Year Down, The Rest of My Life To Go…

One Year Down, The Rest of My Life To Go…

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It’s officially been 1 full year since the worst weekend of my life…I still can’t believe I said goodbye to my best friend forever. Sometimes, it still feels like time is standing still…most of the past year was a giant blur for me. But I made it through and I’m pushing forward with life because there really isn’t another option. 

Saying the past year was hard is a huge understatement. I definitely faced problems I never thought I would. Saying goodbye to CJ was just the start of them. My entire world fell apart in the blink of an eye and I literally had to start over…with everything. I wasn’t only grieving the loss of my future husband and life, I was also extremely overwhelmed at the thought of rebuilding a new life.

CJ was 3 years older than me and we started dating when I was still in college. He had pretty much established his adult life. He had his own apartment, he had his own business, he did well for himself. So when I graduated, I pretty much jumped from my life with my parents to my life with him. I never took time to figure out who I was as an adult and I never had to do anything on my own or for myself. After he passed away, I would literally panic because I didn’t know how to be an adult by myself…I don’t know if that makes sense but I can’t think of a better way to phrase it…the thought of starting a new adult life, by myself, was stressful and overwhelming.

As difficult as this past year has been, I’ve definitely learned A LOT about what’s important in life. I feel like I’ve grown up a lot this past year and have a perspective on life that not many young adults have. Some of the biggest, most valuable things I’ve learned are:

1. Don’t take loved ones for granted. And on that note, pick your arguments/fights carefully. I know everyone’s heard the saying “don’t take your loved ones for granted.” But seriously…don’t. You never know when you may lose them for good and living with regrets is awful! Make sure they know how much they mean to you everyday.

Also, don’t pick stupid fights. I used to be great at getting irritated about stupid stuff that doesn’t matter at the end of the day. One big regret I have is not letting little things slide. Thank goodness CJ was so level headed and chill that he never got upset with me (although he easily could have.) But if you pick a fight, make sure it’s something worth fighting over because you could waste a perfectly good weekend of spending time with your love (or sibling, parent, etc.) that you’ll never get back.

2. Self medicating is not the answer. Get yourself out of a negative situation or negative environment before you think about self medicating. And when you think about it, just don’t do it. There are other (healthy) ways to get through hard times. It may mask the problem temporarily and you may seem okay temporarily, but it causes more problems than it solves…because it really doesn’t solve anything…it just hides the pain.

I’m going to get super real for a second…it all started for me when I was overwhelmed at my old job (because I only took a week off of work at a customer service job and I mentally could not handle it). What made things worse was the headquarters of the company I worked for moved across the parking lot from CJ’s apartment. I was miserable at work and I was sad all day looking out the window waiting for him to walk out of his apartment, even though I knew he never would. So I’d go to my car during breaks or lunch and self medicate to get through the day. Sometimes, I’d even walk across the parking lot and sit on a bench outside his bedroom window after self medicating. It took one (really) bad incident (outside of work) for me to realize how deep of a hole I’d dug for myself. I turned things around immediately but the 5 months I was digging my hole have become a complete blur…I should have left my old job a LOT sooner, so bottom line is remove yourself from a negative situation before things get bad and also get ACTUAL help…not the help of a bottle.

3. Make the choice to be positive and make the choice to not let other people get to you because life is short! This day in age, everyone gets offended by everything and they get upset by everything and they take everything way too personally. Guess what…you can make the choice not to do that! You can make the choice to not be offended! Why waste your time and live your life being offended by everything? It’s so not worth it! Whether someone is trying to offend you, or they just said or did something that you took offense to, you can make the choice to not be bothered by it! Life is way too short to spend it getting upset over things that at the end of the day, don’t effect your day to day life. So let it go, sit back and laugh at the ignorance, and be happy and positive. You never know when your last day will be…do you really want to spend it looking for things to get offended by? I sure don’t…

4. Don’t date until you’re ready!! I had hung out with guys in groups and I had gone out with an old friend as early as 3 months after CJ passed and it was all fine and I was fine. So over the summer, a guy I met through a girlfriend asked me out, so I thought I’d just go…what could it hurt? Well on this date, it was very apparent to me that I was NOT ready to date…back to the self medicating thing, I consumed a large amount of adult beverages, which is something I never do. I felt guilty and it almost felt like I was cheating on CJ by being out with someone else. The more I consumed, the less guilty I felt. I thought it was maybe a one time thing and I was just nervous getting back into dating…so I went out with the same guy another time and a similar thing happened. I just realized I completely wasn’t ready and I needed to focus on myself and getting myself in a better place before trying to involve anyone else in my life.

5. Self care is so important! It’s okay to say no, especially when you’re dealing with the worst life has to offer. After trying to date again, I took the next few months to focus completely on myself. I didn’t drink, if I wasn’t mentally okay to go hang out with friends, I would tell them just that. Real friends who truly care about you will completely understand so don’t feel bad saying no! I started dancing again after about a 5 month break, I stayed home if I was tired or just not in the mood to go out, I started working out…it feels so good! And by about October I decided to try and explore the dating world again in a much better and clearer state of mind. But at the end of the day, my main focus is myself, then my friends, family, and Miss Cammie (my dog). Then, if a great guy comes along that fits well into my life and accepts my eternal love for CJ, he can be third on my list 😉  

6. Spend money on experiences, not more stuff. Experiences are where life happens. More stuff just accumulates and you can’t take it with you to the grave. So travel, go out with friends, go to concerts, games, whatever! Just experience life!

And speaking of money, don’t stress about saving so much. I know a lot of people have savings goals. But, just like all the stuff, you can’t take it with you. So if you have the choice of saving that extra $500 or spending it on a week at the beach with friends, choose the beach! (And disclaimer, I’m referring to extra money you put aside in a savings account to save…I’m not talking about living beyond your means and spending money you don’t have on experiences.)

7. Even when you’re angry at God, go to church. I was sooo angry at God right after CJ passed away…I felt like I had no one else to be angry at. Sometimes, I’m still angry at Him. But my church family was (and still is) sooo supportive of me. They were there for me from the day it happened and they still check on me. Some of them were at the service (even though they didn’t know him), they showered me with hugs, cards, and lots of support. My church family definitely made me feel loved at the worst time of my life. And also, there are 2 specific sermons that stick out in my head that were sooo relevant to my life and situation and I will never forget them. Isn’t it the best feeling when the most perfect sermon comes at exactly the right time? So friends…go to church!

January 12, 2019 · Leave a Comment

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HI EVERYONE!

I’m Sarena


I’m a Northern Virginia based Integrative Nutrition Coach, a Toxin Free Lifestyle enthusiast, a dancer, and a dog mom to my sweet girl, Miss Cammie.

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simply.sarena

So many women suffer every month from debilitating So many women suffer every month from debilitating period cramps. The conventional way of treating them actually makes the problem worse!

❌Birth Control covers up the symptoms because you don’t get a real period. Meanwhile, whatever is causing the cramps in the first place is still going on in the body and probably getting worse! Birth Control does not treat cramps…it only hides the problem!

❌Ibuprofen may help in a pinch but it doesn’t treat what is actually causing the cramps in the first place. Also, ibuprofen is really bad for gut health (and poor gut health could also be a cause of cramps) so you could be making the problem worse!

❌A lot of women turn to junk food on their period however, junk food is inflammatory so if your cramps are caused by inflammation, you could be making the problem worse! If you’re craving chocolate, you probably need magnesium, so if you’re going to eat it, eat good quality DARK chocolate! 

The biggest favor you can do yourself is listen to your body and figure out what is causing the issues in the first place! The answer is different for everyone and there is no one size fits all solution!

Feel free to DM me if you need any support! 

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#womenshealth #periodcramps #periodcrampsrelief #nontoxicliving #lowtoxlife #lowtoxliving #hormonehealth #hormonehealthcoach #womenshormones #hormonal #hormonalimbalance #hormonalimbalances #nutritionforhormones #nutritioncoach #healthandnutrition #holistichealth #holistichealthtips #periodtips #periodproblems #periodpositive #periodpain
Sugar gets such a bad reputation, but not all suga Sugar gets such a bad reputation, but not all sugar is bad!!!

Natural sugar is necessary because it gives us energy! You can find natural sugar in fruits, vegetables, and sweeteners like raw honey, pure maple syrup, dates, coconut sugar, and more.

Watch out for sneaky sugars in processed food as they cause blood sugar spikes which gives us that instant energy but we crash. It also causes type 2 diabetes and insulin issues. 

When you’re reading the ingredient label on food, watch out for different (not so obvious) names for sugar. 

Just because something says 12g of sugar doesn’t mean that 12g is bad sugar…which is why you always need to check the ingredient label for the source of the sugar!

Also, people think Stevia is healthier which isn’t necessarily the case. Stevia is highly processed and should only be consumed occasionally unless you’re consuming stevia in its purest form! 

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#addedsugar #naturalsugar #stevia #holistichealth #holisticnutrition #sneakysugar #ingredientlabels #ingredientsmatter #lowtoxlifestyle #lowtoxdiet #sugarfree #sugarfreediet #sugarfreelifestyle #nontoxicliving #healthyeatinghabits #healthyeatingtips #sugartips #nutritioncoaching #nutritionfacts #nutritiontip
Birth Control does NOT cure a hormone imbalance!!! Birth Control does NOT cure a hormone imbalance!!! Birth Control hides the symptoms of a hormone imbalance, meanwhile the problem is getting worse.

A lot of women struggle with severe symptoms when they come off birth control because they never addressed the underlying cause of their hormone imbalance.

If you are struggling with hormonal acne, period cramps, severe PMS, mood swings, etc. and you think birth control is going to fix the problem, it will not!

There are a lot of factors that can cause a hormone imbalance from our diet, to hormone disrupting chemicals in our daily products, to external factors like stress, lack of sleep, etc. that can throw our hormones out of whack!

If you need support with your hormones, feel free to DM me!

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#hormonehealth #hormonehealthcoach #lowtoxlife #lowtoxlifestyle #crunchyblogger #holistichealthcoach #holistichealthandwellness #womenshealth #womenshealthmatters #womenshealthtips #womenshormonehealth #birthcontrolproblems #birthcontrolpills #birthcontrol #holistichealthcoaching #naturallivingideas #naturallifestyle #naturallivingtips #healthtipsforwomen #pcoslifestyle #hormoneimbalance #hormoneimbalances
Our bodies and hormones are so complex! If you’r Our bodies and hormones are so complex! If you’re eating right, limiting toxin exposure, and still can’t seem to get your hormones under control, it could be a different lifestyle factor coming into play!

We are not men, we do not have the same 24 hour hormone cycle that men have.

We have different needs for different times during the month! Being in tune with your body and doing what it needs at that time is so important!

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#hormonehealth #womenshealth #womenshormones #holistichealthandwellness #lowtoxlifestyle #toxinfreeliving #healthandwellnesscoach #healthandwellnesstips #birthcontrolproblems #birthcontrol #regulatehormonesnaturally #hormoneimbalance #womenslifestyle
These are foods that have been marketed to be heal These are foods that have been marketed to be healthy, but they’re not. There’s so many other actually healthy foods you could eat that are much more satisfying than these. Keep reading for why these aren’t the best options!

❌Whole Wheat Bread: This one comes down to the ingredients. One popular whole wheat bread contains Soybean Oil, Soy Lecithin, and Natural Flavors. Also because I have a gluten sensitivity, eating slices of any bread is a no for me!

❌Cereal: So many cereal’s are full of sugar and synthetic vitamins which are not properly absorbed by our bodies, not to mention artificial colors and flavors. Also, a lot of cereal has extremely high levels of glyphosate! Not a great way to start your day.

❌Flavored Yogurt: Any yogurt except plain yogurt has a lot of sugar. You’ll also find natural flavors and gums in some popular brands. Natural flavors is an easy way for companies to not disclose all ingredients and gums can cause digestive issues. In my opinion, you may as well have a bowl of ice cream and enjoy it than try to be “healthy” with flavored yogurt.

❌Farmed Salmon: You may think you’re making a healthy choice by choosing salmon however, farmed salmon should be avoided as it is basically big agricultures version of salmon. It is bred in crammed cages, fed an unnatural diet of fish meal & animal by products, and they are full of pesticides and antibiotics 🤢

❌Granola Bars: Granola bars are full of a lot of sugar including corn syrup. You may also find soybean oil or canola oil which are inflammatory, and natural flavors. You’re better off baking some cookies and knowing exactly what you’re putting in the cookies. 

Did any of these surprise you?? Let me know in the comments! 

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#healthyeatinghabits #unhealthyfood #lowtox #lowtoxlife #crunchygirl #holisticnutritioncoach #iinhealthcoach #iinalumni #iingrad #toxinfreeliving #nutritiontips #nutritionfacts #eathealthybehealthy #healthychoices #foodismedicine #dontbefooled #biggovsucks #biggovermentsucks #healyourselfnaturally #healyourselfwithfood
I’ve had so many women reach out to me lately ab I’ve had so many women reach out to me lately about wanting to get off birth control, but they’re scared how it will effect their body.

The truth is, if you got on birth control for bad period cramps, hormonal acne, irregular periods, etc., birth control was covering up the problem…not fixing it!

When you go off birth control, you’ll probably find you’ll have the same problems of not worse.

That’s why balancing your hormones is so important when coming off birth control!

These 3 tips are a great place to start! There are so many different things you can do to get your hormones in check. 

Follow for more holistic health & nutrition tips!

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#postbirthcontrolsyndrome #getoffbirthcontrol #hormonehealth #hormonehealthcoach #saynotobirthcontrol #womenshealthcoach #womenshealthmatters #womenshealthtips #womenshealthandwellness #womenshealthadvocate
✨Make sure you save this recipe for later!✨ T ✨Make sure you save this recipe for later!✨

These are the BEST healthy peanut butter chocolate chip cookies 🍪 

Recipe: 

1 egg
1 cup of peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips (make sure you check the ingredient label and only use clean chocolate chips!)

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes!

Let me know if you give these a try! 

#healthydessertrecipes #glutenfreecookies #refinedsugarfree #bakingreel #holisticnutrition #hormonefriendly #womenshealth #womenshormones
It’s still January for a few more days! Last y It’s still January for a few more days! 

Last year, I did a lot that wasn’t working for me. I got so stuck in my routines, I was saying “yes” to everything, even if I didn’t want to, because I didn’t want to offend anyone.

This year, I’m only doing things that light me up and that are in alignment with my goals 💕✨

Health isn’t just about what we eat and the products we use, it’s also about how everything else in our life makes us feel and effects our physical health.

At the end of 2022, I realized I needed to make a change when I was starting to get headaches almost daily again. I had also spent soooo much money it makes me sick thinking about it.

No more! I’m putting myself and my goals first this year! 

#newyearnewme #2023goals #freshstart #holistichealth #holisticwellnesscoach
I ALWAYS have these 5 tea’s on hand 🍵 Green I ALWAYS have these 5 tea’s on hand 🍵

Green Tea: Contains caffeine so it gives me energy. Green Tea is also high in antioxidants!

Echinacea Tea: Has immune supporting properties. It’s even known to shorten symptoms of colds and the flu!

Dandelion Tea: This tea is a powerful liver detox! It also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Raspberry Leaf Tea: This tea is great for a woman’s cycle. It’s high in magnesium and vitamin B6 so it helps relieve PMS symptoms and helps regulate hormones.

Chaga Tea: Chaga is the king of medicinal mushrooms. It’s full of antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. It helps regulate blood sugar and blood pressure, it boosts the immune system, and it may even slow the growth of c**cer cells. Literally the KING! 

My favorite brands of tea are @yogitea, @tradmedicinals, and @numiorganictea. These brands have organic teas and their tea bags are plastic free!
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