Crafting a bonsai tree (like the one in our logo) is an art form and a process with no end other than inner peace and a deeper connection with nature. We believe that our approach to personal health and wellness should follow this ancient art form to focus on the process of improving ourselves one tiny piece at a time to create attainable goals and small moments of success. By focusing on controlling the little things in our lives within our power and making multiple small changes rather than massive lifestyle shifts, we can find greater success and learn that health and harmony are a result of a journey not a waist size.
It is within this frame of mind that we created Kyoto Botanicals. Our natural, plant-derived CBD products are only a piece of a greater holistic health and wellness puzzle we incorporate into our lives to help us on the journey to Pure Harmony. We thought we would start this new year sharing some other things we do to help us find harmony in the little things we can control every day to make each moment as tranquil as possible. You’ll find that none of these ideas are particularly time consuming or difficult and that is by design. By incorporated one or two or all of them into our daily plan for 2021, we create small moments of success that help us in our journey to a more harmonious and healthier life on a daily basis.
Mind
4-7-8 breathing. When we feel stress, our breath gets quicker and shorter. This quickened, shortened breath turns on a fight-or-flight mode that leads to shorter, quicker breaths and a downward cycle of stress. To arrest this downward spiral, the 4-7-8 breathing technique is incredibly simple and effective and only takes a minute or two to calm your body and mind. Simply breathe in through your nose for a count of four, hold your breath while you count to seven, and exhale through your mouth for a count of eight. Repeat at least four times until you feel noticeably calmer. This technique sends a powerful message to your central nervous system and is one of the most effective techniques we use to head off stress as it starts. This method also works incredibly well to help calm your mind and body if you are struggling to fall asleep at night.
Go outside. Getting outside and connecting with nature can be done anywhere at anytime and offers huge benefits. Ten minutes just stepping outside, breathing fresh air, listening to the birds, even just watching clouds move is so much easier than fighting for enough time to go to the gym and we are always amazed how much regenerative power something so small can have.
Read. Books, not the news, not social media, but a book, any book. It is incredible how fast we stop thinking about the million tiny things that give us anxiety in our daily lives when we escape into a book for ten minutes instead of scrolling on our phones when we have a break.
CBD. And of course, to provide help dealing with those everyday stresses we all live with, a little high quality BREATH(e) Lemon Ginger tincture goes a long way to help keep us calm and even throughout the day.
Body
Diet. We believe in keeping it simple. Becoming a vegetarian overnight is a goal that is admirable but bound to lead to failure and negative self-perceptions. Instead, we focus on setting one consistent and simple food goal per day. Eat a brightly colored vegetable raw, have a piece of fruit, pick one good water bottle and refill it at least twice a day, etc. Doing this will have positive long-term effects on not only our physical well-being, but mental as well.
Take a walk. Sure, we all want to get to the gym every day, but life usually has other plans. So on the days you can’t make it to the gym, at least get outside and take a 10 minute walk around the block. The air, nature, the movement, all of it will help your body find balance and let you feel a sense of accomplishment (even small) that will have positive impacts on your body and mind.
Brush your teeth. Simple right!? Study after study links mental and physical health to dental health, so don’t ever forget to brush your teeth twice a day. It is the hardest two minutes in the day, especially when you are tired at the end of the day, but it is only two minutes! But setting aside those four minutes in a day will help you feel accomplished, healthier, fresher and lead to myriad benefits in the future.
CBD. Adding our CBD Face Serum to your daily face routine is one small step you can add each day to help your skin feel and look rejuvenated and healthier, especially in these dry, tough winter months.
Home
Bed. While we all have a million things we want to improve in our homes, we like to focus first and most on the place we spend the most time, our beds. Think about it – you spend far more time in your bed than any other single place in your home, often up to 8 or 9 hours a day (hopefully!). Think of your sheets like an outfit you have to wear every single day. When you take that view you realize how important they are, so opting for organic (just like our organic CBD products) so you don’t have chemicals rubbing up on your skin, which is your largest organ, makes a ton of sense.
Lavender. Scents can have a powerful effect on mood, and lavender is one of our favorites to help with life’s little stresses. Having a lavender scented candle in our homes creates a calming and relaxing scent that just seems to help keep us calm without even realizing it. Diluting a bit in a small spray bottle full of water and lightly misting it on an eye mask or a pillow when traveling or at home is also a great way to ease your mind at the end of the day.
CBD. With organic lavender oil, our REST(ful) CBD Body Oil is a great addition to any bath at the end of a long and stressful day to help your mind let go of all of the things that add up to big stresses by the end of the day.