HI BABES! There is so much good stuff happening in the wellness world of TBB right now I want to dive right in and share it… even though I am so tempted to write a long-ass intro saying HIIII and telling you what I’ve been up to.
We’ll save that for another day this week. I have a lot of writing time this week so that should definitely be able to happen.
For now, let’s just say: YOGA EBOOK IS HAPPENING. And it’s happening quick. Ashley & I are shooting for it in mid-March, and after that I’m sending it off to Anelise (my amaze web designer who did this whole site) to format it all pretty and then it will be AVAILABLE to you! Send me a message through contact form on the site to get on the list to be the first to know when it comes out!
But enough about that. I am going to do a whole post on JUST my updates + events sometime this week so I’ll try to hold my tongue for now.
FOR NOW. WELLNESS HACKS. ALL OF THEM. THE GOOD, THE BETTER, AND THE BEST. READY?! Legggggo.
Wellness Hacks 2017 //
The wellness go-to’s, random treatments, cutting edge products & funny little rituals that will change yo life //
*I shouldn’t NEED to say this, but take everything below with a grain of salt because ultimately you gotta listen to YOUR BODY + DO YOU! YOU, YOU, YOU & reek of you. 🙂 🙂
1. Keto OS // Okay, you ready for this? Exogenous ketones are life changing. I mean, they’re game changers in every sense of the word. Our bodies produce ketones naturally, and ketones are one of the main fuel sources our body uses for energy (the other one is glucose… sugar). When our bod burns KETONES, we burn fat. At a rapid rate. And when ketones go to our liver, they send tons of alertness signals to our brain and make our brain function improve like cray cray nutso. On top of fat burning and brain alertness, ketones in the body help your muscles tone and recover, they’re great for skin, and they all around give your body an efficient energy source so your energy levels are HIGH.
Ultimately, drinking Keto OS every day (twice a day, in my case) has chaaaanged the health game for me. I am burning fat so much more efficiently, my workouts are so much stronger (and I’m doing less of them — more on that down below), my brain is on fire in the best way all the time, and I have never felt stronger or leaner. I will write a whole post on the fact that I lost 10 pounds drinking this stuff on the daily (#yep), but it’s NOT about the weight loss. It’s about feeling amazing. It’s about having ENERGY after being a lethargic slug post-eating disorder because food didn’t agree with me. You can check out Keto OS here & listen to ALL the details of it on my podcast episode 14 (and there is an episode coming out with the CEO of Pruvit tomorrow). There is a 15% off sale of Keto OS until MIDNIGHT tonight (feb 28) so hop on it today if you’re interested!! Or later — it’s worth the investment. TRUST me.
2. Bulletproof coffee // I have raved & raved & raved about the excessively amazing game changing benefits of bulletproof coffee and the overall bulletproof lifestyle. It’s not a “dietary label” that I ascribe to, because I don’t do labels… but drinking bulletproof coffee every morning and following Dave Asprey’s “life hacks” of low-carb, sugar-free, gluten-free, high fat, Brain Octane Oil doused everything — my body has been functioning at a much higher efficiency and I have been feeling overall so much better and more amazing.
I get asked almost every day for my bulletproof recipe, so here it is!! I like to add protein, collagen and stevia to it to make it a nutritional powerhouse. Overall, brain octane is AMAZING for you and will get you digestion & your mind moving so much more efficiently. Bulletproof also has great collagen products (hair, skin, nails!), COFFEE, and chocolate.
3. Chocolate supplements // Yep, these are a real thing. I discovered this sensationally amazing brand called Golden Tree Brands (a cocoa pressing company) that developed a line called Truly of chocolate SUPPLEMENTS that actually taste amazing & work super well. They have biotin, melatonin, collagen, and a probiotic… and all are 70% cacao dark chocolate and 100% organic, gluten free, non GMO, and dairy free and Vegan. NO additives or artificial colors or palm fruit oil. Basically, you’d think they’re too good to be true but they’re not. I have been taking the melatonin ones at night for sleep and they WORK (and you know I’m an insomniac). Also, I can never get enough collagen, biotin and probiotics… so #YES. Win, win!!! Check them OUT!
4. Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides // I think y’all KNOW how I feel about collagen peptides. If you want to learn more about collagen (and my views on it), read this post. Collagen is amazing for our hair, skin and nails from the inside out. When you have collagen exogenously (I mean ingesting it…) it is able to permeate into the deepest layer of skin to really replenish deep down. That’s why I am such an advocate of collagen on TOP of outer skincare at the same time. I also love the way Vital Proteins Vanilla Collagen tastes, because it has legit vanilla bean in it and makes any smoothie, yogurt, coconut milk or coffee taste so much better. I have noticed a huge difference in my skin ever since using it.
5. Functional Medicine // I don’t think I would be able to write about any of this with any first-hand legitimacy if it weren’t for finding my functional medicine doctor, Dr. Lekkos. (Thank you KELLY for introducing me.) You can read all about my experience with him here. Ultimately, functional medicine is a totally different approach than anything I’d ever tried “medical” wise before. It’s an individualized, “inside out” approach that focuses on the PERSON rather than the symptom. Dr. Lekkos’s goal is to balance the complex interplay of our bodies’ internal physiology. It’s about the longterm, not the short term. Well… he balanced my symptom. He is a major in diagnostics, and over the last year I can credit him for my loss of 10 pounds (8 pounds of pure fat, OMG), for getting my health back, finding a way of eating that works for me, and I see him continuously for his expert opinion + for replenishments of supplements due to how I feel and how I am doing.
(FYI I went off of all supplements for a while which felt right to me, and now I am reincorporating just a couple to balance out some issues I still have like migraines, stomach bloating, high cortisol, slightly slow thyroid, etc.)
Our HEALTH IS OUR WEALTH, so having knowledge about what is going on inside of our bodies is insanely important. Check out functional medicine by you if you are interested in learning more about what’s going on inside of you and how you can deal with it & help yourself in a natural way.
6. CUPPING MASSAGE // THIS. OMG. OMG. WHY have I not tried cupping sooner?!?!? YOU GUYS. I tried it yesterday for the first time ever, and my world is rocked. I had wanted to try it for years, and for some reason never actually booked an appointment until I spoke to the fabulous Mae at The Spa on Rodeo who kindly brought me in for a cupping massage treatment. I woke up this morning with my body feeling more open (you know how much I like to be open to the channels of the universe for creativity also — so this goes beyond the physical for me) and alive than probably EVER. I am seriously already a hooked fan.
My muscles were super tight from some crazy yoga sessions over the weekend so I thought I might be a lost cause — but no. It was the perfect day to go in because of that and because I also felt a head cold coming on that now seems to be… gone? Basically, toxins from the environment, processed foods, and chemical additives accumulate in our blood, tissues, and muscles. Detox cupping helps to drain excess fluid, loosen stagnation, and encourage blood flow to all of those blocked up tissues to discharge waste. Circulation is increased and harmful toxins are eliminated through the lymphatic system.
7. Essential oils // I am a huge advocate of essential oils… which you guys may not fully know yet, because I feel like I usually talk more about the “exogenous” stuff (foods and bevvies and supplements), but essential oils have been truly life changing for me also. I was literally PRESCRIBED essential oils by my psychiatrist about a year and a half ago to deal with crippling anxiety, an overwhelming racing mind & to begin to learn how to deal with my psychotically fast paced life. He prescribed me (yes, literally) a combo of Frankincense and Clary Sage to begin with, and both of those are my favorite to this day. I think they will always have a special place in my heart for that reason.
Check out this article by Leigh Wingus on MindBodyGreen (yep, I’m featured talking about my faves!) to learn more about how fabulous essential oils can be.
8. Sleep rituals // This one is huger than huge. Without sleep, the rest of this literally means nothing. I am still working on my sleep rituals to be honest, but I have some new tricks of the trade up my sleeve. For one, I go on a digital detox at least an hour before bed to clear my mind, tap back into my body’s natural state and creative mindset, and to unwind from the day. Reading is my fave nighttime activity, and of course snuggling with my MAN Hudson.
I have worked over the last several months to clear my space of anything that doesn’t completely vibe with my zen, relaxed, sleepy time goals. So now I have comfy bedding and pillows that REALLY work for me and help me relax and melt into my bed, I don’t have a lot of stuff around the actual space of my bed, and I take a LONG BUBBLE BATH with candles and incense (essential oils!!!) almost every single night to wind down.
When I teach at night — I take ashwagandha to help my brain calm down because teaching does make me feel over-stimulated. Overall, find the sleep routine that works for you and run with it — it will help a TON with productivity, happiness, creativity, weight maintenance and weight loss, cortisol, and so much more. (The body literally deposits excess cortisol when you stay up too late — no bueno!)
9. Argan oil // Argan oil has been a serious player in my skincare routine recently. I discovered the brand MUN skincare (from my FAAAAVE KFPR girls) & remembered that my facialist told me a long time ago to mix my foundation (Oxygenetix – love) with Argan oil if my skin ever felt especially dry. Well, I tried it and holy crap… the results even just the first day blew me away. I really like for my skin to have a dewy, supple look and to look GLOWY from the inside out. That can be hard to achieve when you have naturally dry skin like I do and I really hardly wear any makeup. Take my word for it — MUN is life changing. ALSO stay tuned for a fun giveaway I am hosting with them for people who subscribe to my podcast + rate/review it!!
10. High fat diet // Eating a diet rich in healthy fats has helped me in so many ways… it keeps me fuller longer which helps my brain be at EASE because I’ve had so many food issues in the past, it’s amazing for skin, and literally coats the brain with a layer of goodness so it is healthy and disease-preventative in every way. Some of my number one fave healthy fats are avocado, coconut, coconut oil, wild salmon, raw nuts, avocado oil, olive oil, and nut butters.
11. STEVIA // If you’re trying to live the sugar-free life, which trust me — I ALWAYS am these days — stevia is amazing because you can put it in anything and it gives it that sweet kick but with zero actual sugar. Some people knock stevia, but its derived from the natural stevia plant and if you’re buying a good brand (like this one) then it has no additives, preservatives, or anything fake. It’s my favorite thing ever, especially the flavored ones!
( You can even put it in black coffee like I did below! )
12. Natural cosmetics // YEP, our skin is the largest organ in our body… so anything we put into it or ONTO IT reflects on the outside (and inside) big time. It’s all one big mechanism. In and out. All the same. You guys know I don’t wear a lot of makeup, but some of my favorites (other than the Argan oil I just told you about!!!) are Oxygenetix foundation, Juice Beauty foundation, mascara & lip colors, and SuperGoop! sunscreen.
( Below, barefaced with the tiniest touch of foundation + Argan oil )
13. Branch Chain Amino Acids // I am new to the BCAA train, but Dr. Lekkos (functional medicine doctor — see above!) recommended I take them along with my Keto OS and MCT oil to make the ketones in my body last longer every time I take them. BCAA’s refer to three amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. BCAA supplementation, for people with low dietary protein intake, can promote muscle protein synthesis and increase muscle growth, prevent fatigue, help recover muscles and apparently also help keep the ketones burnin’! I like this brand a lot.
14. Nutrient Bursting Desserts // I eat dessert, like every single day. Because of that, I keep my desserts healthy. I am going to do a whole post soon on my favorite ketogenic dessert that bursts with nutrients from every angle but let’s just say it includes Coconut Cult yogurt, Keto OS, Wild Friends nut butter, and STEVIA! You can have your delicious treats and also make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need at the same time.
15. Low intensity exercise // Doing more low intensity exercise has totally made a huge impact on my life in the best way. I was overexercising like crazy for a while, and I didn’t even know it. My body just doesn’t respond well to overtraining. I was holding onto excess weight, my skin was a mess from high cortisol, I was always sore and fatigued, and I just didn’t have a lot of time because I was always running from workout to workout. These days I am doing a ton of yoga and some low intensity weights and a tiny bit of cardio… and that works for me. Really well. I have truly never felt stronger or more like my body was how it’s SUPPOSED to be. YOGA is the most amazing form of low intensity exercise and you can do it forever… constant practice, constant evolvement.
12. Panchakarma & ALL THINGS AYURVEDA! // You can read all about my Panchakarma here, but I couldn’t write a post about wellness hacks and leave out Panchakarma and the world of Ayurveda. I want to talk all about the Ayurvedic herbs that I take and the way that I eat for my Pitta dominant dosha, but that is a post for another day because this bad boy is getting long. Just know that Ayurveda is worth looking into times a thousand trillion in terms of wellness hacks.
Alright babes, there we have it!! What do you think? Like I said, take it all with a grain of salt because there is a lot of info above and I don’t expect any one person to do it ALL. It’s just good knowledge to have and all great wellness tips to be aware of as you move forward in your journey of taking care of your body and finding your utmost health and happiness. 🙂 What are YOUR fave wellness hacks?!
