My goodness it’s been too long since I’ve written a post. This last year has been a busy year to say the least. A beautiful year of ups and downs, stresses and relief, celebrations, joy, mourning and contemplation. Certainly, a year full of personal growth and Nourish had alot of growth of her own.
My goal is to start writing shorter, more frequent post with tips on health and wellness that you can implement (or not if they don’t resonate!)
One thing that keeps coming up in my brain is the expense of wellness. Or that it needs to be expensive. We are inundated with exciting supplements, red lights, saunas, protein powders, cold therapy, sleep trackers, drinks and elixirs and therapies of all kind. Do I love these things and use and take many of them? YES! And I genuinely love researching and trying new things so I can feel my best. Do I do them all the time and all at once? No... there is a season for everything. Most importantly, are these things necessary to be healthy? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Having the foundations in place first will make up 90% of your health. The rest are extra and are a part of the fine tuning of your health. So don’t stress or spend on the supplements and wellness tools until you have these foundations in place. Lets talk about the free medicine. (Or relatively low cost)
Make your bed a no phone sanctuary and read a book or journal instead. The phone’s blue light suppresses melatonin, and the rapid information of social media is too much to calm the brain down. Not to mention if you read anything that is stressful. Also…unplug your wifi at night and put your phone on airplane mode if possible for a long EMF break while your body goes into rest, restore and detoxes as you sleep.
Get outside. Everyday. Put your bare feet in the grass (as long as your grass isn’t sprayed with round up/glyphosate). A review published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health looked at how drawing electrons from the earth improves health. Better sleep, changed electrical activity in the brain, moderated heart rate variability, improved glucose regulation, reduced stress, supported immune function and improved heart health (specifically increases the surface charge of red blood cells and as a result the cells avoid clumping).
Get morning light in your eyes and on your skin. (without sunglasses and not through a window) Dr Andrew Huberman explains how impactful this is on your circadian rhythm and hormones. Honestly, this is something I am trying to implement more of because getting the boys ready in the morning then going to Nourish I don’t have much opportunity. But when the sun comes up early this summer before they wake, you better believe I’ll be outside for my 10 minute morning dose of sun! And if you struggle with sleep I would find a way to make this happen everyday. It’s proven to work even on cloudy days.
Move your body everyday! Walk, run, lift weights, dance, yoga, spin…whatever you can and want to do. Exercise is so so critical for our health. Reduces stress and depression, boost immunity, promotes quality sleep, reduces risk of chronic disease, helps with glucose regulation, boost brain health, helps maintain a health weight and muscle is so incredibly important for our overall health and especially as we age. Keep your body moving thought-out the day also! My favorites things to do are walk, yoga and I’ve recently started lifting heavier weights after learning about all the benefits.
Have a daily meditation practice. Just start with 5 minutes of sitting still, in a quiet space. Try to work your way up to 15-20 minutes. There is no wrong way to meditate and you can’t be a “bad” meditator. It’s the act of stillness and not letting your thoughts make you spiral. Your stress and anxiety will start to shift. Give yourself this gift of meditation in our overstimulated world. My husband and I used Ziva meditation technique but there are so many free meditations online if you need something guided. Ziva taught me the technique but now I don’t use any guidance.
SLEEP! This has to be a priority and is probably most important. It’s when our body does most of the detoxing, repairing etc. After dinner I start playing 528 HZ on our Sonos, lights get dimmer, we sip warm calming teas (chamomile, passionflower, lemon balm), use calming essential oils and keep screens out of bed. Create a ritual for you and your family. Most of our deep sleep is before midnight so try for an earlier bedtime. All of the things mentioned above (morning light, exercise, earthing, meditation will all very much help with quality sleep). And yes there are incredible supplements with sleep supporting herbs and magnesium that we carry or you can order online. I don’t love the idea of taking melatonin because it is a hormone and you want to do things to support the body’s ability to make it’s own melatonin at the right time.
Drink clean, filtered water with minerals. Even a pinch of high-quality sea salt works wonders. I do use and rotate several different types of minerals (LMNT, Manna Vitality, Ion Biome, Quinton Minerals), but high-quality sea salt is an incredible start and something I use daily (Crucial Four, Redmonds). Technically, water filters are not free but having clean water is so paramount to your health it’s something to invest in. And say no to bottled water which is often low-quality water filled with microplastics from the plastic bottle. Drink at least 16 oz first thing in the morning before your coffee/tea. Rehydrate after sleep and flush out the toxins. Keep your body hydrated all day which affects energy, flushes out toxins and waste products, improves skin and so much more.
Have a spiritual practice. A deep spiritual connection that opens your heart and connects you to God (or whatever the name that you use is). Find something that works for you.
Sweat- hot yoga, sauna, hot epsom salt bath, get outside on a hot summer day.
Get rid of toxins in your home and your personal care products. Toxic products disrupt hormones, weaken our immune system, make us more vulnerable to illness, and can even be carcinogenic. Everyday toxins can create a low-level chemical overflow that you and your family has to detox constantly. Looks at the products you are using on your body, the candles you are burning, cleaning your home and clothes with. There are so many incredible nontoxic options out there at the same price point as your current products. Or you can even make your own. One thing at a time. Also open your windows everyday and make your home a shoe free home! Both greatly help reduce the toxins in your home! Not only are there pathogens on our shoes but think about cancer-causing toxins from asphalt road residue and endocrine-disrupting lawn chemicals. Take them off at the door! Being barefoot is good for your feet anyway!
Eat real whole unprocessed foods. You knew this was coming didn’t you? The food you eat affects every single thing that happens in your body. Mood, energy, disease state, hormones, skin, hair, cancer prevention, gut health, immune system, etc etc. Add in tons of veggies, high quality protein (grass fed, pasture raised), fruit, healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, walnuts). Just REAL food and organic food if you budget allows.