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thealyssadougherty

Clinical Nutrition/Integrative Health
MMI Certified Meditation Instructor Corporate Wellness Leader
Gluten/Dairy/Grain-Free Recipes

Meditation Misconceptions✨ Some view meditation

Meditation Misconceptions✨ Some view meditation as a practice that can be manipulated for optimal results. As I have found in my training and teaching, no 'perfect' meditative experience exists. In fact, your focus should be on letting go, not obtaining more control. By choosing to label your experiences in meditation as 'good' or 'bad', you miss a fundamental concept of the practice: that of eliminating judgment towards yourself and others. ✨Meditation is simply about observing your breath and acknowledging patterns of the mind and body that are revealed when external distractions are quieted. If you have a particularly enjoyable experience during meditation (perhaps you were able to fully relax or had a revelation), it's human nature to want to replicate that in subsequent sessions. Still, it's important to keep in mind that this 'transcendence' cannot be forced, and your intelligent body and mind will provide you with what you need, when you need it. ✨I often see people, especially those new to the practice, falling asleep during meditation and later feeling that they've done something wrong. If anything, nodding off is simply an indication that you need additional rest, and should be a welcomed internal signal to honor. In that same spirit, if you are discouraged by a barrage of thoughts or looped thinking while attempting to meditate, these 'movements of the mind' should instead be interpreted as a productive release of stress. On average, we have about 50,000 thoughts a day, and so the idea that we can suddenly quiet our mind entirely is unrealistic. ✨Interested in establishing your own meditation practice? My goal is to help you improve your health and reduce anxiety through the holistic benefits of mindful living and eating. Let's Connect!

Frozen banana slices, suspended in layers of decad

Frozen banana slices, suspended in layers of decadently dark chocolate ganache and creamy nut butter, make these bars altogether irresistible. Loaded with potassium and magnesium, these sweet treats will elevate your mood and boost your energy. Find my gluten-free/plantbased/refined-sugar-free recipe in my bio link or on AlyssaDougherty.com! Perfected with @navitasorganics raw cacao, @artisanaorganics nut butter and @coombsmaple syrup ✨

Feasting on a rainbow of colors (like this divine

Feasting on a rainbow of colors (like this divine gluten/dairy free fig-cantaloupe salad) offers a variety of phytonutrients: beneficial compounds found in plant foods that are anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer by nature. Different colors correlate to different healing properties, including gut, hormone, heart, brain, skin and liver health. Incorporating more colors into your diet can be achieved by filling half (or all!) of your plate with fruits and vegetables and experimenting when grocery shopping by purchasing a new fruit or vegetable each week that you wouldn’t normally consume. Try eating the rainbow with late summer/fall seasonal foods including: RED plums, berries, tomatoes, radishes, watermelon, pomegranates and peppers; ORANGE cantaloupe, stone fruits, butternut squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and carrots; YELLOW summer squash and ginger, GREEN apples, cucumber, green beans, broccoli, greens, zucchini, artichokes and celery; BLUE berries, PURPLE figs, grapes, eggplant and cabbage and WHITE cauliflower, garlic, mushrooms, fennel and parsnips. Special thanks to @bernarduslodge for being so incredible and accommodating with my food restrictions! 🌈

Elegant and nearly effortless to make, these dark

Elegant and nearly effortless to make, these dark chocolate truffles, tamed by peppermint and made creamy with @navitasorganics cacao butter, are deserving of your devotion, satisfying your sweet tooth and offering a feast for the eyes with each individual floral flourish. Find my plantbased, gluten-free, refined-sugar free recipe in my bio link or on AlyssaDougherty.com! ✨

With September’s arrival comes the debut of the

When should you meditate?✨ Perhaps the only "wro

When should you meditate?✨ Perhaps the only "wrong" way to meditate is not to do it at all. Still, certain techniques allow for deeper connection with your internal world and can enhance the many neurological, physical, emotional and spiritual benefits that go hand in hand with this peaceful practice. In my years of experience as a Certified Meditation and Mindfulness Instructor, this is one of the most common questions I receive from my clients: What is the best time of day to practice?
I encourage you to begin simple breathwork exercises right after awakening, during what is known as the ambrosia hour. If you'd like to meditate first thing in the morning to set the mood for your day, try sitting on a nearby couch or chair and using a meditation timer to keep track of time (staying in bed to practice may cause you to fall back asleep). Meditation is also beneficial right after a work day (a 'happy hour' meditation) to transition your body from the sympathetic (stress) nervous system to parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system. Certain meditative practices can be stimulating, so choosing calmer practices before bedtime (such as yoga nidra or 'divine sleep practice') can promote deep relaxation and help to quiet your mind. Interested in learning more? Browse audio recordings with a taste of different types of meditative practices as well as accompanying instructional videos on my website, AlyssaDougherty.com or sign up for my Wellness Wednesday Newsletter for meditation tips and guided recordings (link in bio!)

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