What’s Good April 2026
Life Update
GFT Body: Brushing & Scraping
GFT Mind: Puzzels
GFT Soul: Spiritual Laws
Nutrition Corner: NAD+ Supplement
Life Update: I launched Come Alive Fitness!
YEAH!!! WOO HOOO!! Bet you’re wondering, “how is that different from what she was already doing?” Technically not much, but in my mind it totally has. Before I was a group fitness instructor that was seeking to serve my community and to get (steadily) paid by a gym facility. When I work the hours, I get the money. But I see how this method limited me and kept me safe. My showing up was out of duty to my employer (and to a lesser extent to my community). It’s was my dedication to the role that kept me rolling.
Now! I have shifted my perspective and are finding new opportunities to serve my community without the requirement of a facility (and that sense of security).
I am going into schools.
I’m going into town halls.
I will be going into fields and green spaces during the summertime!!!
Now, I am my own boss! I get to put my entrepreneurs hat on once again. Back a couple years I was all about Arbonne as a network marketer? Now I am the CEO and program coordinator for Come Alive Fitness!
I was needing and ready for this shift in perspective. Actually what I really needed was permission to give myself an up-leveling. And I did, I gave myself a raise and a promotion because I believe in Marion and what she can do.
Of the various new things, I’m excited to be offering more personal training services. It took a leap of faith that I could do this but here I am 1 month in and loving it!! But me, I give training a twist. Instead of you coming to me, I’m gonna go to you. YUP, you have the equipment and everything you need. What you may be lacking is motivation and the where with all to know what to do on any given day. I’ve got you! Bonus not having to drive 25+ minutes away is gonna save some time too. Let me help you knock down all the barriers to you getting what you want (to feel awesome in your body).
I also plan to create more targeted solutions for movement enhancement, such as a pre-skiing mobility agility warm-up thing. I know what my stumbling blocks are going to be (planning soon enough in advance) and (hopefully) I’m ready to take them on
I want to pursue retreats. Offering opportunities for women to come to a destination. I mean, who doesn’t want to get away from their family in a safe environment with a curated plan of enjoyment that will make you feel like you’re coming alive!!!
Which brings me to the name “Come Alive Fitness,” where does this name come from?
So I was listening to a podcast, which honestly it’s where so many of my ideas come from. Anyway this speaker (Brendan Burchard) was talking about what every human being really wants to feel, that elusive thing humans are always searching for, it’s the feeling of being alive! Having Aliveness!!! Its vibrancy, enthusiasm, energized health! And I gotta tell you 1,000% after one of my classes I feel alive. And I know this is true from everyone that’s takes my classes. I can see it in the way they breathe, in the way they glow and the smiles on their faces. When you spend time with me, you have the ability to come alive.
And if that isn’t the best gift to offer people, I don’t know what is.
And sure, it’s the exercise, its the movement, its the heart pounding that makes people feel that way. 100000% that is true. However…. they weren’t doing it alone. I was the catalyst, I told them what to do. I provided the space and time from them to do it. I said something during class that touched them. Moved something deep within them or maybe I planted a seed of love truth that will grow and bloom later on. Yeah, they moved their bodies, their energies all on their own, I just helped them do it. That’s my purpose. That’s what was given to me from god to share with the world. So me and my new business parter God, we’re gonna make some awesome things happen.
Good For the Body: Brushing & Scraping
Dry brushing. You were thinking of teeth brushing weren’t you? We’ll get to that later but for now, I’m referring to the sorta brushing you do with a soft hair bristle brush like this one and brush your skin which feels very similar to massage. Now, you’re not trying to straighten your arm hair to look pretty but rather to stimulate all the little nerve fibers all over your body! This exfoliation technique gives a manual stimulation to the superficial lymphatic vessels located just beneath the skin surface. Fact - The lymphatic system lacks a centralized pump to transport lymphatic fluid. so ff we don’t stimulate the movement of lymph, it wont move on its own and gets stagnant. For more info on the Lymph system and all the ways to stimulate movement, check my blog post.
So this physical pressure from the brush bristles encourages "stuck" or stagnant lymph fluid to move through the vessels, aiding in the removal of metabolic waste and toxins. And that’s not all! it also exfoliates (removes) dead skin cells and unclogs pores, making it easier for the body to eliminate waste through sweat, reducing the overall "load" on the internal lymphatic system. Without that dull dead skin layer your skin reveals a soft buttery texture (win!). The friction from the bristles stimulates blood flow (vasodilation), aka boosts circulation which then to reduce puffiness and swelling and induces a vibrant, natural glow (win!). And the vasodilation, supports the lymphatic system's role in delivering oxygen and nutrients to tissues while carrying away debris.
Tips:
Don’t over think it. You don’t need to do it before the shower, you can do it anytime you think of it or where ever can fit it conveniently into a routine. This is self care, not a 3rd job.
Use light sweeping motions around the body and facial area. Think your trying to gently stimulate, not scratch.
Start with a dry body and a dry brush.
Some experts recommend starting at the nodes to “prep them.” Some say to start at the extremities and move in an upward motions towards the heart and lymph node clusters (such as the armpits, groin, and neck see figure for all the nodes) to helps guide fluid to filtration points where it can be processed and eliminated.
Focus on larger muscle groups. Giving special attention to the calves, thighs, arms, and back, which benefit most from enhanced circulation and exfoliation.
Do NOT brush on skin that’s broken. This includes cuts, scrapes, lesions, sores or burned skin, including sunburns and use extreme caution over areas that are prone redness or general irritation, inflammation, cellulitis or skin cancer. Stop dry brushing if skin becomes irritated or inflamed.
Don’t forget to clean your brush every couple of weeks. The dead skin and oils can build up, making your brush less effective and unhygienic. A gentle soap and air-dry routine works wonders.
Scrape The Tongue
Couple weeks ago I was listening to my favorite health and wellness podcasts and the guest Dr. Daniel Pompa was talking about how tongue health influences your lifespan. Which, if I’m honest, the tongue is not something I‘d given much thought to especially considering it separate from general oral health. You know regular cleanings, brushing 2 times a day (minimum) and the flossing. Being someone aiming for optimum longevity, I was curious to learn more. And you know, he shared so many positive benefits just for scraping the tongue! The major one being how it stimulates vasodilation. (Hey there’s that word again!) More specifically how the scraping action stimulates the bacteria that live on the back of the tongue to convert dietary nitrates into nitric oxide (NO) and when NO rises, that leads to vasodilation which then gives way to so many positive health benefits:
Improve blood circulation by relaxing blood vessels
Enhance cognitive function and brain health
Support immune function, helping the body fight infections
Promote skin revitalization, aiding in a youthful appearance
Boost athletic performance by increasing oxygen delivery to muscles and reduces post workout muscle soreness
Enhance sexual function by increasing dilation of the sex organs providing engorgement (which improves erectile dysfunction)
For a complete look at this activity check out my blog post. Or listen to the podcast, it was really quite fascinating how this doctor turned the health of so many patients around by making simple changes in peoples habits.
Good for the Mind: Puzzles
So a while ago I adopted this little habit where…. wait, we’re friends right? Friends who appreciate each other and allow each other into intimate places? Okay so with that frame of in mind I’m going to bring you into my bathroom. It’s nice in here, self care happens here. It’s quiet without dogs or kids banging on the doors (yet). Now we’ve got a lovely throne with a squatty potty (please tell me you’re using one of these things) and a little time so what can we do? Your legs are making a nice purch to lay something on. Well, some people will read magazines, some scroll their phones, some people are quick in and out kinda action. Me, I do a Sudoku puzzle while doing the business. It’s pretty quick, 2-3 minutes and boom done. Then, not only have you completed something kinda challenging (I’m not talking about pushing cuz that shit comes out much easier thanks to your squatty friend (and the fiber)) but also you have improved your brain power!
Yes, the act of working the puzzle stimulates your prefrontal cortex which allows you think about how to solve the problem. You are enhancing cognitive function with logic (can this 5 go there?), pattern recognition (no there is a 5 in that row), and short-term memory (where was that other 5 located, oh yeah the left column). Regularly solving puzzles sharpens your ability to focus and induces a little meditative state (without even noticing). The effects are a reduction in stress, improved brain speed and each new puzzle gives way to more neuroplasticity making the brain more adaptable. Not to mention the simple pleasure and esteem boost of winning! I know I love that sweet satisfaction early and often.
And if Sudoku is not you’re thing, there are literally millions of other puzzle like options. Have you tried the New York Times Games? It’s a free app you can download to your phone with several different puzzle options. My favorites are Pips, Connections and Strands. There is also Wordle where you try to find a 5 letter word, Sudoku, Tiles which is a matching game and the classic Crossword of course.
For my bathroom sudoku I have one of those paper book things. I keep the pencil marking my page and dating each completion. If we really want to get intimate, I also choose the puzzle by which number corresponds to the date in some way (cuz I’m a dork and happily think the numerology of the day means something). #youdoyouaslongasyouarehappy
Good For The Soul: Spiritual Laws
More so its good for the soul to know and becoming familiar with Spiritual Laws. Knowing them helps a human experience tremendously by creating a container for understanding how things work. What we can and can not do, What is or is not in our control. Think about it, we know our government’s laws and know there exist consequences when we do not abide and follow the rules. For example, the laws says you can’t steal or take something that doesn’t belong to you. If you go to a store and leave without paying for something that is shoplifting and a punishable offense often by a fine or jail time. “Thou shall not steal” is the 8th commandment but a commandment is not a spiritual law. It’s some older human writing and telling humans to do/not do something. Another example, the law says if you drive over the speed limit, if you drive recklessly then your ability to drive will be taken away from you. There is no commandment about that. Is there a spiritual law that deals with going to fast or moving recklessly?
Spiritual Laws are like boundaries for our humanness. They are the laws that we can use to make the most of this human school experience. They are the mystical truths that bind us in this physical world. We are not of this Earth, and therefore our laws are with our originated spiritual space.
The human body is physical but you are not a physical thing. You are not your human body, at your core you are a spirit. A force of life, Energy. I’m sure you’ve herd this one but you are a spiritual being having a human experience.
Wait a sec….. back up. We are spiritual beings? What does that mean? What is spirit? Spirit is a force, an energy. In this universe, all energy is neither made or destroyed, energy is transferred, transmuted or transformed. So says the Spiritual Law- Law of Conservation of Energy and The First law of Thermodynamics and Noether’s Theorem and Cosmological Content - often science finds ways to prove spiritual laws.
Energy does not have a physical form. it just is. What makes energy physical is a vessel, a mass of particles that are attracted together, and for us on this Earth the particles are elements. Now, I know you have a giant thinking brain and you know that you are not a plant, but plants too are just energy help together by a force… an energy, a spirit. Something is making those cell walls hold together to form a stem, something erupted from the seed making buds shoot out towards the sky to find the suns light. You know this. Because you know when you pluck that plant out of its earth (its energy source) the plant begins to shrivel and die. Its walls decompose and fall away.
And you can think, “Plants do not have a consciousness,” but how do you really know? Your consciousness only detects what it can piece together from its own skull mass inside the helmet for your meat suit. Plant energy is still Energy. It’s a life force. That same life force lives inside humans.
Energy is Energy and Spiritual Laws of the laws of this energy and how it works.
Spiritual laws are universal, unchanging principles governing human existence, consciousness, and the cosmos, often operating similarly to natural laws like gravity. They emphasize that energy, thoughts, and actions—such as karma, attraction, and free will—directly shape personal reality and spiritual growth. These principles guide personal conduct, consciousness, and connection to a higher power [google]
Still with me? Okay so what are these Laws. Now there is debate over just how many law there are. And also when defining what application. For instance there can be 4 Spiritual Laws of Prosperity, 7 Spiritual Laws of Success, 7 Laws of Karma, 7 Spiritual Laws of Yoga, 8 & 12 Universal Laws and I found one lady that laid out 52 Laws (there were some overlaps in themes). For my newsletters sake I’m gonna give you the main snippets. To dive deeper and read my ongoing blog post for more details
The Law of Love aka The Law of Energy aka the Divine Law of Oneness — there is only one force, one energy and that is love. Nothing else exists.
The Law of Energy - energy is never lost or destroyed, only transmuted.
Law of Cause & Effect aka Law of Karma - Every action has a reaction; what goes out will come back, unless transmuted.
Law of Mentalism: The universe is a mental construct; your thoughts shape your reality.
Law of Reciprocity - what goes around comes around, you reap what you sow, your rewards are in proportion to your amount of service
Law of Vibration: Nothing is stagnant, everything is moving/vibrating. Your energy affects your reality; you attract what vibrates at your frequency.
Law of Correspondance - As above, so below; as within, so without. Everything happening outside is a reflection of what's happening inside; to heal the world, heal yourself.
Law of Relativity: Nothing is good or bad; it just is. Attachment to outcomes judges if a situation is good or bad.
Law of Attraction - The inner attracts the outer; Where focus goes, energy flows; Your attention shapes your reality.
The Law of Polarity - For every up there is a down, Everything has a positive and negative; Opposites are necessary for balance.
Law of Change: Everything is temporary; embrace change as a constant.
The Law of Rhythm / Law of Cycles - Nothing is linear; Everything flows out and in; Day > Night, Spring > Summer > Fall > Winter; Birth-maturation-death
Law of Free Will - humanity is gifted sovereign autonomy to make personal choices, thoughts, and intentions, which are respected by divine forces. The spirit retains the freedom to choose its internal state, response to circumstances, and moral direction, bearing the resulting consequences for spiritual growth.
Law of Asking - You must actively request help, guidance, or desires from the universe or Divine to receive it, respecting free will.
Nutrition Corner: NAD+
I was recently asked about a peptide that has been quite popular in the biohacking community and it might be a supplement you might want to consider taking. So lets dive deeper into it.
What is it?
NAD+ or Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide is a vital coenzyme involved in a variety of cellular processes. It plays a central role in turning the foods we eat into cellular energy, helps repair damaged DNA, and sand activating sirtuins, a group of enzymes that help regulate metabolism, stress response, and aspects of healthy aging. It powers cellular energy production by acting as an electron carrier in redox reactions within the Krebs cycle and electron transport chain to generate ATP (Adenosine triphosphate aka our main energy source). Redox meaning reduction-oxidation reactions which is a fancy way of saying electrons transfer where one is being oxidized (loses electrons) and one is reduced (gaining electrons) simultaneously.
Overall, NAD+ helps support metabolic function and cellular health and healthy aging.
Why its gaining popularity?
Because supplementing has been shown to offer benefits for anti-aging, cognitive function, and metabolic health. All areas in which humans want to optimize and be better at.
Think about, if NAD+s main function is repairing DNA and specifically to produce more ATP. NAD+ has also shown to better cognitive factors by repairing DNA in our brain. This leads to improved focus and clarity. It’s also been shown to influence cellular communication, allowing for improved stress modulation reactions making us more resilient to stress whether it’s external stressors or internal stressors like inflammation. There are some indications for improved muscle repair as well but I think it’s because of the DNA component if our DNA can function more optimally of course we’re gonna repair more Optimally.
Should I be taking this?
Depends. Research shows that NAD⁺ levels naturally decline with age. Some analysis show a decreases of 10%–25% in brain NAD⁺ between young adulthood and later[s] while other studies note a decline of 30% or more in liver tissue and other organs[s].
NAD+ supplements may be helpful for adults to boost declining energy, help improve metabolism, and support cellular repair. If you are a person that exercises at a moderate to intense level, if you were to have more ATP available because your DNA are working better you’re going to feel a lot better. You’re going to build muscle faster prevent aging longer all the good stuff.
Many people begin there NAD journey by increasing NAD precursors. Supplementation with NAD⁺ precursors (such as nicotinamide riboside, NR, or nicotinamide mononucleotide, NMN) have been shown in human trials to safelyincrease NAD⁺ levels and raise related metabolites across multiple tissues.
How can I take it?
The form of NAD+ is one of those things that gets a little tricky cuz there are a couple ways you can consume it. Personally, I’ve taken it as been an oral capsule of NAD+ on/off for probably 5 years. Orally doesn’t have as much of an absorption rate because it needs to pass though digestion and all those acids and enzymes but it is proven to get through to our cells. I didn not notice any significant change in my energy levels but I was also stacking it with other supplements.
There are injectables of NAD+ which that has the highest potency and efficiency becasue it goes directly into the bloodstream to boost cellular energy, support DNA repair, and improve cognitive function. There are also IV drips that are highly effective as well. The issue is with the IV drip is it makes the body feel a little uncomfortable because the actual coenzyme NAD+ molecule is very large, people often feel a tingling sensation in their legs and some chest pain. In either the injection or IV you'll require a physician. Typically these intravenous interventions are reserved for patients with chronic fatigue and addiction recovery. Session dosage is 250–500mg of NAD+ over 2-4 hours or 1000mg over 8 hours. In both cases, they can cost hundreds of dollars. The dosing is meant to increase levels for a period 1 month.
I am aware of some biohakers do injections of 5mg 3x a week up to 25mg 3x/wk but the more you take at once the more risk of adverse symptomology (feeling of tingling in your extremities).
Warning: While human data on long-term functional effects remain limited, the early findings are promising and suggest NAD⁺‐boosting could be a meaningful part of a longevity strategy. Potential side effects include nausea, fatigue, or headaches. Fast administration can cause side effects like nausea, headaches, dizziness, and a feeling of pressure in the chest or flushing. Of course its best to consult with your health practicioner to be safe. a doctor, particularly if you have cancer or kidney/liver issues
Recommendations:
If you are a human approaching 40yr of age and you are looking to ward off aging and keep in top physical status for as long as your eyes can see then I see no harm in trying this supplement enhance your body’s life.
NAD+ Liquid Supplement 1500mg -Powder Mix - This is a Nicotinamide Riboside & Resveratrol with PQQ and CoQ10. The ingredients are good and they boost their liquid delivery system is superior seems great (lipid encapsulated). They boost that liquid $25 for 30 packets
Here is another packet/liquid form that boosts 71% absorption. They claim to be 3rd party tested for purity. $40 for 30 packets.
Longevity Capsules, Momentous - this formula combines six clinically studied bioactives: Niagen®, NAC, PureQQ®, Betaine, Vitamin C, and B Vitamins to support NAD+ production, cellular energy, protect DNA, and support brain and body resilience. It’s designed to go beyond NAD+ support and promote overall vitality and performance. This company does third-party testing to ensure cleanliness of products from toxins and is NSF Certified for Sports. $100 for 90 capsules/3 capsules per dose. * I just bought this one to try ( I use some of their other products)
TRU NIAGEN 300mg - This is a very popular capsule NAD⁺ supplement that uses Nicotinamide Riboside (NR). It’s designed for individuals looking to maintain vitality, mental clarity, and overall cellular health as they age. One key difference is they offer this product in a high dosage of NR (1000mg), which is well above its major competitors (making it appealing for fact absorption and results). Thing is, its pure NR, there are no other ingredients. Bonus - is third-party tested and NSF Certified for Sports. Downside, $116 for 30 servings, $50 for 30 servings of 300mg.
Injectable - 20 Activated NAD+ Injections (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) - 20,000 mcg per dose, dose 3 times per week for optimal results. Inject right into the fatty issue (you’ll get a video link after purchase).
