What's got you down this holiday season?
Too much booze
Sickness
Too many processed foods/sweets
Too much traveling
Sweets got you down? Too much alcohol over the holidays? Catch that bug that's going around?
Here are 3 things I like to do to help support my body during the craziness of this holiday season:
#1 KEEP my circulation going strong!
Give me all of the lymphatic drainage, the massages & the blood flow to keep my cells energized, moving & thriving! I want the toxins out & the goodness in . . . anyone else?
The ways I keep my circulation strong; intentional movement, massage, & eating foods often enough that my metabolism feels safe enough to do its job & not slow down.
Intentional movement: Adding in movement daily can sound like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be! I like to opt for a simple walk, a morning stretch session, an evening yoga routine . . . whatever resonates with my body for the day. I like to search for a quick 15 min yoga practice on youtube and see what pops up. I also like to take my dogs on a walk at some point during the day, which gets me outside, in the sunshine & moving! My cells sure do thank me when I prioritize these things.
Massage: There are different ways I like to support my circulation through massage.
Facial Massage - I love doing a little home facial for myself at least a couple times a week. Usually it involves some sort of exfoliating face mask (I love the Crunchi brand one: I am Polished Exfoliator!), a nice gua sha or ice face roller session and a hunk of tallow balm (VanMan's is my go-to) to moisturize the heck out my face after. I can't help but feel refreshed and reenergized after I take the 10-15 min for a nice facial routine.
Acupressure - I have been loving my new Pranamat! This thing pretty much gives the many benefits of massage, but in the comfort of my home. The spikey nodules press firmly into the skin allowing for blood flow and circulation in spots that may have been stagnant. The first few minutes I typically don't feel much, but after about 15-20 min of laying still on the mat, my skin starts to tingle and get very warm, a clear sign that fresh blood is flowing to all those spots. It's my favorite way to wind down and relax at the end of my day! If you are interested in purchasing a set for yourself, you can use code: LEXIEHAREN for 15% off all sets.
Frequent balanced meals/snacks: Got cold toes/feet? I sure did for most of my life. Little did I know that this was attributed to my infrequent eating and my improperly balanced food consumption. My diet for quite a while consisted of lots of carbs and processed foods and not enough protein. I also was a fan of fasting. Not a good combo for the metabolism. Once I learned how to properly nourish myself through simple things like: waiting until after I eat a protein+fat+carb to drink my coffee in the mornings and not just having an apple for a snack, but an apple+cheese+meat, my metabolism started rewarding me by bringing back my warm toes and fingers! It makes sense that if the body is not getting the fuel it needs to thrive, it will start by cutting off circulation to the extremities because it needs what little fuel it has for the major organs. Its a pretty smart system, eh?
#2 USE castor oil packs!
Castor oil comes from the seeds of the ricinus communis plant. This plant is native to tropical areas of Africa & Asia. Castor oil has been used since ancient times for a variety of medicinial needs. In ancient egypt, castor oil was used to remedy infections & to stimulate labor in pregnancy. Castor oil has anti-inflammatory, moisturizing, and antimicrobial properties AND is also commonly used to help hair growth in balding individuals or those who have experienced hair loss. I love to keep castor oil handy in my wellness toolbox because it serves many purposes!
The most frequent way I use my castor oil is via a castor oil pack. The main purpose of a castor oil pack is to allow the oil to rest over the liver/pelvic region for a decent amount of time (I go to sleep with mine on). Through absorption, the castor oil can help the liver amp up its processes of filtering out toxins and aiding in digestion. It has a bit of a detoxifying effect so I started out with just a little bit of castor oil and a short period of time to see how my body would react. I definitely notice benefits to my digestive tract after I use my pack. I do avoid using the pack if I am on my period.
I bought my kit from Queen of The Thrones and really love their mess-free design and ease of use! You can simply use an old flannel shirt and some high quality castor oil for the same benefits too.
#3 STEER CLEAR of "popular" synthetic supplements & UP the whole-food based supplements!
I don't know about you, but anytime I hear that EVERYONE is taking or promoting a supplement, I get a little wary. I know that big Pharma is out there and if something is "trending" there is a lot of money in it for those companies. I like to do my best to steer clear of anything that is funded by big pharmaceutical companies because it typically does not have the best interest of the individual in mind. I'll save that tangent for another day lol.
But here is what I like to do . . .
I like to think about the whole food forms of vitamins/minerals and do my best to get them in that form. It's hard to get all the minerals our bodies need simply from fruits, veggies & meat because our soils are so depleted of minerals from over-farming. This is where some of my favorite supplements come in handy.
I like to take beef liver supplements from farms over in Australia/New Zealand because their mineral content is a lot different than ours (in the US). Beef liver is known as "nature's multivitamin" and contains immense health benefits! I'd much rather take my "multivitamin" in nature's form versus a synthetic, lab-made form. I choose MitoLife's and Saturee's supps as my favs.
I like to take my cod liver oil from a company (Rosita) who uses the best standards to test for heavy metals and avoids letting the oil go rancid (like most cod liver oils do). I know that cod liver has been used for generations as an excellent source of retinol. Simply adding this into my routine can help my other minerals work together better.
I like to take my shilajit (trace minerals from the Siberian Mountains) from a company (Mitolife) that tests them for heavy metals & will share all the statistics with me. I know with all the sweets, illness and beverages going around, I need to cater to my mineral needs at every level!
I like to take a supplement called Dissolve-It-All, made from serrapeptase (the same bacteria silk worms use to dissolve their cocoons) that can help break up stagnant scar tissue & fibrous tissue in my body. This is a tool that is used in Chinese medicine to help people fight off infections & disease as well.
I like to get my vitamin D from the sunshine. And since I know that magnesium & other minerals are essential for my body to convert the energy from the sun into the active form of Vit D, I like to focus on getting in my base minerals for optimal cellular energy.
I like to get my Zinc & Copper from my beef liver & oysters because I know that the synthetic Zinc will only deplete my other mineral levels.
I like to get my whole food vitamin C from citrus fruits that are "in-season". Since its the winter right now, I like to focus on citrus foods like organic pomegranates & mandarins. If I feel like I need a bit extra, I will opt for some whole-food vitamin C supplements.
The list goes on and on here. The more I have educated myself on these minerals & nutrients, their most bio-available forms & how they work together, the better I have been able to assess where my body is at and what it needs to thrive. I can tell if my potassium is slightly off because I will get a craving for foods that are high in potassium. I can tell if my magnesium or sodium is off because my stress response is altered. I find it essential to tune into my body each and every day & listen to my "gut" feelings about my health. More often than not, my body is spot on in letting me know what it needs . . . I just need to be receptive enough to listen to it & give it it's best fuel!
I am wishing you a holiday season of health, mineral balance, and vitality! If you want to learn more about your personal mineral status, book a free 15-min discovery call with me to see if my services may be a good fit for you! I'm always happy to answer any questions you may have & share my personal experience too!
Cheers to happy minerals & energized cells!
Much love,
Lex
**None of this information is medical advise, it is simply personal experience. None of the above information should be used to diagnose or treat medical problems. Some links throughout the article may be affiliate links where I receive a small kickback from the company as a "thank you" for promoting their products. I only collaborate with companies who use the highest health/safety standards, align with my values & create products that I would use myself. Thank you for purchasing through my links, as you are helping support my small business!**
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