Last month, I had the opportunity to chat with Ashley Neese, a Los Angeles based holistic nutrition consultant. We first crossed paths when I asked her to be a Lovely Lady. She is beautiful, positive, and encouraging in every way. She is passionate about holistic living and wants to inspire from a heart, mind, and body perspective.
During our sixty minute one-on-one session ( via video-chat ), we examined my current life status, discussed healthy improvements to my overall diet, and considered removing obstacles that leave me feeling unbalanced. You’d think it would be hard to fit all of that into 60 minutes but honestly, it was the perfect amount of time! Also, since finishing the consultation, she has consistently encouraged and challenged me to meet the goals we set and to stay positive through any difficult changes I am working through.
Although, I have to say it has been a lot harder to tackle my “weaknesses” than I thought it would be ( I’m trying not to view them as weaknesses but more as unhealthy habits ) – mainly because I am so busy but also because deeply rooted habits are hard to break, right?? One of my top concerns when starting out was how to add MORE to my schedule and mental head-space while keeping my stress level down. Ashley claimed that if I have awareness and a desire to see change ( which I’d like to think I do ), that it would all fall into place more naturally than I probably anticipated. We decided that I should focus on these three areas: Food, Sleep, and Breaks/Meditation.
I won’t go into too much detail about each but I will say this – having one intentional conversation with Ashley has completely turned things around for me – for the better, of coarse! I have found focus and in turn, am seeing improvements in all areas mentioned above. I feel very lucky for the insight and encouragement I’ve received from her – as it’s given me a new found appreciation for myself and my body.
…and guess what!!? Ashley has kindly offered up one 60 minute Holistic Consultation & Recipe eBook for a giveaway! To enter, leave a comment below telling us a bit about your favorite way to take care of yourself. Then either follow Ashley on Instagram or sign up for her newsletter.
She has also put together this delicious juice, just for us. Bubba and I tried it out this past weekend during a trip to our neighborhood park. We stored them in mason jars and brought along my favorite giant boba straws for sippin* It was the perfect cool treat while lounging in the sun.
Apple Fennel Cleanse Juice
Ingredients ( serves 1 ) –
2 small apples, cut, seeds removed
1 fennel bulb with stalks and fronds
1 medium cucumber
1 large bunch of spinach
Handful of fresh mint
1/2 lime
Method –
Run everything except the lime through the juicer.
Squeeze the lime juice in at the end to taste.
Juice will keep 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge!
Glass jars are the best.