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Amy Hoogervorst

Integrative Health and Wellness Coach

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Mind-body practices such as meditation, yoga, and focused breathing help stimulate the vagus nerve and the parasympathetic nervous system.

Mind-Body Practices to Complete the Stress Cycle

Mind-body practices strengthen our parasympathetic nervous system, which tells us to relax after a threat is past. And when this system operates effectively, we complete the stress cycle. We relax. But what happens when chronic or severe stress prevents that "rest and digest" system from kicking in? Over time, it can harm our health. Research indicates that our thought patterns and … [Read more...] about Mind-Body Practices to Complete the Stress Cycle

This is your brain on stress. How stress affects your brain. Photograph is of woman sitting at computer, holding her head

This is Your Brain On Stress

Stress sometimes gets a bad rap. Most of the time, we think of stress as something negative, and it can be. Stress can lead to a host of health issues including heart disease and cognitive decline. But other types of stress can deliver benefits, including to your brain. Defined in part as a physical and mental reaction to life's experiences, stress affects all of us. But not in the same ways … [Read more...] about This is Your Brain On Stress

women benefit from regular weight training , at least two times per week. free weights, body weights and more all count

Women and Weight Training: Will I Bulk Up?

When I started going to a gym regularly and lifting weights, I remember thinking: I don't want to bulk up. I simply want to be a little bit stronger. Would I bulk up, like the Incredible Hulk? What benefits would weight training, or resistance training, give me? Why should I do this? And how did this fit into my health goals? As I wondered about all these questions about women and weight … [Read more...] about Women and Weight Training: Will I Bulk Up?

these 5 books could boost your health this summer

5 Books that Could Boost Your Health This Summer

If you're looking for a summer read, may I offer a few ideas that go beyond the genre known informally as "romance novel to read while sitting on the beach?" Not that there's anything wrong with that genre! If that's what you enjoy and what you need right now to decompress, go for it. And in that case, bookmark this for later when you're wanting something else. But if you're ready for … [Read more...] about 5 Books that Could Boost Your Health This Summer

sun bugs essential oils - in the summer, sun and bugs are no match for essential oils

Summer Sun and Bugs: Essential Oils to the Rescue

Summer brings plenty of opportunities for sunburns, bug bites, and other skin irritations. But essential oils can help when used pro-actively against bugs and in response to burns, stings, bites, or rashes. Below, I'll share some ideas for how to use these powerful compounds - and some recipes for "potions" that have worked for my family. I started learning about essential oils nearly four … [Read more...] about Summer Sun and Bugs: Essential Oils to the Rescue

self-care or stewardship differences and benefits

Is it Self-Care, or Is it Stewardship?

Self-care takes different forms, depending on the situation and person. Lighting a candle. Enjoying a slow coffee and breathing deeply. Taking a walk. Spending time with a friend. Choosing healthy foods. Each of those has its place. But when life feels like it's spiraling out of control, self-care may be the first thing to go. How do we stop that from happening, to make ourselves more … [Read more...] about Is it Self-Care, or Is it Stewardship?

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MEET AMY

Hi! I'm Amy Hoogervorst, a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, integrative health coach, and creative entrepreneur offering grace and space for a healthier you. Read More…

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A Bredesen ReCODE coach helps people concerned about or living with cognitive decline implement lifestyle changes that are part of the Bredesen protocol. Colorful image depicts a brain with many synapses and activity

Recently I trained as a Bredesen ReCODE Coach, adding to my professional knowledge base and credentials as I look to help anyone concerned about their brain health. But my desire to prevent and reverse cognitive decline goes beyond a professional achievement. It’s deeply personal, too. About five years ago, someone close to me received a […]

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Wait. Pause. Notice. Be still. That's the message Wait. Pause. Notice. Be still.

That's the message I got this afternoon, when I looked up and noticed I'd been sitting in my parked car in front of this bush for a full five minutes. And I hadn't seen it.

I was absorbed by something else. My mind elsewhere, making a list and checking it twice, so to speak. And when I looked up, the beauty of this holly took my breath away. The way the light was hitting the leaves and berries at that moment, I had to get out of my car and snap a pic.

Almost immediately, I felt my shoulders relax, my heart open, my mind clear, even if only for a moment.

'Tis the season. For the hustle and bustle. Life on the hamster wheel. Automatic pilot. The checking off of lists. But that doesn't have to be the only way.

What's helped you - wait, pause, notice, be still - lately?

#gratefulforapause #breathe #graceandspaceforahealthieryou 
#mindfulawareness #pause #nature #notice #lifepractice #spiritualpractice #bestill #integrativehealthcoach
Been a while since we've done this together ... Wo Been a while since we've done this together ... Women's Wellness Walk in the Woods, this Saturday morning - who's interested? Send me a DM if you're in central NC - Durham, Chapel Hill area - and would like to get outside this weekend and explore an area trail in a small group. Nothing strenuous, and nothing boring. 😁 

#graceandspaceforahealthieryou #integrativehealthcoach #letsgo #wellnesswalk #getoutside #autumninnc #chapelhill #durhamnc #durm #trailwalk #freshair #movement #physicalactivity
"There are steps we can all take now to prevent th "There are steps we can all take now to prevent the cognitive decline that experts have long believed unavoidable and irreversible."
-Dale Bredesen, M.D.

If you're a subscriber to my Well Check e-letter, in your inbox this morning, you'll see this quote and a way to learn a bit more about why I trained this year as a certified Bredesen ReCODE health coach (and what that means.)

To subscribe, visit the link in my bio or amyhoogervorst.com/subscribe; I'll be sharing more about brain health in upcoming emails and articles.

September is World Alzheimer's Month, and this past Wednesday marked World Alzheimer's Day -  making this the perfect time to share both this update and my professional and personal desire to help make Alzheimer's a rare disease.

#quotes #worldalzheimersmonth2022 #worldalzheimersday #lifestylechange #bredesenprotocol #brainhealth #cognition #thewellcheck #graceandspaceforahealthieryou #integrativehealthcoach #nutrition #exercise #sleep #stress #detox #braintraining #supplements
Before the autumnal equinox at 9:03 pm, I've been Before the autumnal equinox at 9:03 pm, I've been taking a look back at some of the beautiful moments of my summer, 2022. Here's a tiny, tiny sliver. There will never be another season quite like this one.

#summer2022 #pause #reflect #snapshots #noticethelittlethings #spiritualpractice #gratitude #graceandspaceforahealthieryou #stressrelief #integrativehealthcoach #mindbodysoul #attention #intention
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