Each month, I share “5 Things” – a list of the tangible and intangible – the seen and unseen – little bits of inspiration, infusions of greatness and just general goodness. All things that sometimes get lost in the wash or not splashed across social media. The products I feature in these posts are not sponsored, just honest items I’m enjoying.
Holistic wellness, sustainable style, great food, clean beauty and curated home – as they infuse my life – intersect here.
Welcome to 2024!
I’m a little bit in disbelief that the year has flown by and that we’re staring down another clean slate. And on the other hand, I’m so thrilled for the promise that the next trip around the sun holds. I’m taking this month to organize, refine, rethink and revamp in big ways. But there are small changes underfoot that are making a big difference for us; in the way that intention, meaning and specialness are infused into our days, and health, well-being and resilience are woven into the fabric of our lives. Here are a few of the little things rocking our world gently.
The kitchen is the place where so many of my little tidying tasks unfold. This time of year, the pantry gets cleaned out, little bits of leftover ingredients get used up, old tools get replaced and favorite ones get polished. Among the upgrades I made this month, this gorgeous little bread bag was a favorite. This is the second of these beautiful beeswax bread bags that we’ve owned (started to fray and soften from wear.) It keeps our bread fresh for days and is gorgeous enough to live on the countertop.
As part of my daily dinacharya (morning routine), I practice oil pulling, for oral health and as a support of the microbiome (one of the most important components of managing digestive health and general well-being!) This gentle rinse is most beneficial in the morning, after brushing your teeth and using your tongue scraper to clean tge tongue. Rinsing in this way supports cleaning the oral tissues, strengthening the immune system, stimulating the production of enzymes, and balancing the beneficial bacteria that protect your teeth and gums. A few months back, I started incorporating this hand-crafted, herbalized coconut oil formula and it has brought that ritual to the next level. Balancing for the tridosha, this beautiful oil uses red sandalwood, jasmine and turmeric to beautifully benefit my being, whole.
I’ve spent a good amount of time considering how I safeguard my energy in this new year, how to work smarter, not harder, and infuse more meaning and intention into my everyday actions. One of the ways I’m attempting to “do it all” without losing my mind is with the help of this smart scheduling app that uses the power of AI to help me safeguard time in my daily schedule for the tasks, habits and priorities that mean the most to me. Things like a daily lunch break, morning meditations, monthly reviews, journaling and more.
Taking a probiotic is a little bit like taking a handful of rare seeds, sprinkling them over a barren landscape and expecting that a tropical rainforest will sprout from your efforts. It’s true that most probiotics are no longer live, under-effective, or unspecific which makes them less beneficial for us. But, it’s true that many of us could still use a bit of support to propogate the microbiome we need to support our lives. I’ve recently discovered this intelligent gut support that isn’t a probiotic or prebiotic, but instead helps to instill and inspire an environment that will propogate a positive microbiome and I’m in love with the ease and promise it provides. We’re using the gut support and the skin support spray to boost all of the the microbiome in our house (especially for eczema-prone types!)
Over the past few years, I’ve really noticed what a different drinking less alcohol has on my sleep, recovery, general state of being, clarify, focus…and the amount of heat generated and held in my pitta-dominant constitution. I still enjoy a couple of adult beverages each week (because when your husband builds them like mine does, to not imbibe feels like a crime or an opportunity lost!) But on the other nights, particularly when I don’t want to just keep drinking warm water (snore) I’ve been drinking this. These spirited, zero-proof, bespoke blends combine botanicals and adaptogens to help me sip smartly, and to add a little something special to my nighttime cooking and wind-down routines without amping me up.
