Rounding up another awesome week of delicious food, fun fitness, and some new additions I can't live without!
Favorite New Supplement:
I posted this on my story earlier this week, and have gotten a lot of interest. So I'm going to start this weeks post with it. If you are plagued with poor sleep or anxiety/nervous energy, this cocktail of supplements might be right for you.
A lot of you know that one of the biggest side effects of coming off hormonal birth control, was the almost immediate reduction in my anxiety. My panic attacks/heat flashes/nervous energy pretty much disappeared within 3 days of coming off of the pill. These attacks were super debilitating, and I had no idea they were related to the Pill. If only my doctor had TOLD ME. Thankfully, coming off of the pill pretty much ended them.
I still though, on occasion, experience social anxiety, though about 1/10th of the severity that I used to. Phew. The last few months though, my sleep has taken a nose dive. I began to dig into supplementation for support.
It should be noted, that supplements are they very last line of "defense" so to speak. If your diet is shit, if you're chronically stressed, if your periods are irregular, you drink too much caffeine or alcohol, you haven't had recent blood work done (thyroid, hormone panel), SUPPLEMENTS will probably be a waste of your money.
You need to get your ducks in a row, take care of the BIG stuff first, then, if you're still suffering, try supplementing. I truly believe that our lifestyle creates our mental state. If you're in a constant state of panic, stress, fatigue, etc., you need to reassess your lifestyle. I do think that magical things happens when you're sleeping 8 hours a night, crushing fiber and hydration, eating real food, and limiting stressors wherever possible.
That being said - we do not some help time to time. This combination of supplements has been shown to help reduce anxiety, strengthen the immune system, and help promote better quality sleep.
When the body is stressed, the immune and nervous systems can be affected, leaving a person depleted. Adaptogenic herbs help nourish and restore optimal nervous and immune system health by supporting normal mood, energy levels and immune function.
I do take my share of adaptogenic herbs; two of which are these. These are the two that I have found to be most beneficial in decreasing my nervous energy. You can read more about Indian Ginseng (Ashwagandha) here. It is primarily known for its anti-stress properties.
Bacopa is another Ayurvedic herb that's been used for millennia as an anti-anxiety, memory and focus aid. (You can read the Medical Publication here. Further articles are here and another medical publication is here).
Before starting ANY new supplements, you should consult your physician.
In the last week I've noticed feeling calm in situations where my anxiety would be peaking - and sleeping like an absolute champ. (Which is saying a lot, because it is Shark Week).
Favorite Roast This Week:
Another kickass delivery from Trade Coffee Co., this week. The Carmela Blend from DOMA is a medium roast blend that is absolutely gorgeous. You can get 50% off your first Trade Coffee Subscription here!
Favorite New Kitchen Implement:
Guys, guys, GUYS. I am in LOVE with my Chemex!
I had this beauty sitting in my cart FOR-EV-ER. And I finally bit the bullet! Did the whole shebang - pour over kettle, Chemex, and filters. I'm learning as I go, but man, brewing coffee has become completely next level and I am in LOVE! I bought the 8-cup, for those interested, so that when Trav comes home it's big enough for both of us.
Next up: pour-over!
Favorite House Plant:
I do not have a green thumb. In fact, I've never been able to keep anything green alive for long. So I've completely given up. Fake plants, I was all about 'em. Zero shame.
When Trav and I got married, his Omah brought over a baby Christmas Cactus. She'd grown it from one of her plants at home, that HER grandmother had grown. We are talking third generation plant. And she wanted ME to keep it alive. Is there anything more damning than a plant you can't keep alive on the eve of your marriage?
So I did all the research I could on this thing. I watered it just enough. I fertilized it. I changed it into bigger pots. I routinely changed it's surroundings. And it grew. It thrived. And I realized that I could maybe grow something else.
So, I dove back into the Internet. Turns out, plants aren't just gorgeous for your home. They're pretty wonderful for your health and cleaning up your air quality.
Given that people spend more than 90 percent of their time indoors, air quality matters . Furnishings, upholstery, synthetic building materials, and cleaning products in homes and offices can emit a variety of toxic compounds, like formaldehyde. Indoor air pollution can also be caused by pollen, bacteria, and molds, as outdoor air contaminants like car exhaust finds its way into buildings. All of these are made worse in small or poorly-ventilated spaces (like maybe your apartment with that window that you accidentally painted shut last year).
It hit me like a ton of bricks. The air quality in our home is as important as the safer skin care products I buy and the non-toxic household cleaners I've switched to. Of course, I needed a million of them, then.
So, how do houseplants clean the air? Plants absorb some of the particulates from the air at the same time that they take in carbon dioxide, which is then processed into oxygen through photosynthesis. But that’s not all—microorganisms associated with the plants are present in the potting soil, and these microbes are also responsible for much of the cleaning effect.
Freaking cool. And now ... drum roll please ... I have ELEVEN potted plants in my kitchen and living room. GUYZ, that's a lot of baby greenery, and my favorite is this gorgeous Pothos I saved from Lowes.
Is this plant not giving you life? (Peep that marriage Christmas cactus still flourishing down there below it). I found this gorgeous macrame plant hanger on Amazon.
I'm on a serious roll removing toxins from my life; and also adding boatloads of happiness to my work and living spaces.
Favorite Household Product:
In the same realm of switching to safer, non-toxic products wherever possible, I've recently ditched Tide Pods for Molly's Suds. For my athletic gear (Lululemon) I use this.
Molly's is safe for everyone, especially those with sensitive skin. It's been formulated to exclude all harsh chemicals, toxic ingredients, and known human carcinogens. It is free from Synthetic Fragrances, Dyes, Optical Brighteners, Nonylphenol Ethoxylate, Petrochemicals, Phosphate, Fillers, Bleach, known carcinogens, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), or Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), 1,4 Dioxane, and Formaldehyde.
After coming to understand how harmful the above can be to our endocrine system (hormones), and experiencing excess estrogen myself, I've been making the switch wherever possible. Want to learn more about hormone-disrupting chemicals? Check out this article and this medical publication.
I love how Molly's products smell - fresh but not fake, and they do a wonderful job cleaning everything, from dirty dog blankets & mud covered towels, to my sensitive Lululemon items.
It's Sunday evening - my food is prepped for the week, the house is clean, the laundry is done, the pups and I went on a hike, and I even got a chance to clip Elliott's nails. All that's left is settling down with a glass of wine in time for Game of Thrones on HBO and Billions on Showtime.
Have a great week, ya'll!