7 Wellness rituals I’ve been doing for a decade

I squeeze half of a fresh lemon into warm water every morning. This morning detox ritual hydrates my body and flushes out the toxins my body has processed during it’s nightly clean up hours. For extra revitalization and energy I add raw honey (instant brain food). This gets me through the morning off-to-school routine until I have time to prepare my superfood smoothie breakfast.

 

 

I have a collection of essential oil diffusers scattered throughout my home and I always have them blasting gorgeous mood-altering scents. I have AM blends that are energizing and stimulating and I have PM blends that are calming and relaxing. I have a car diffuser and a tiny travel diffuser that I take on the road.  I always diffuse Saje Natural Wellness essential oils because they are the most captivating blends I have ever come across.

 

Bliss

Rainforest

Liquid sunshine

Refresh

 

Tranquility

Spa Spirit

Unwind

 

www.saje.com

 

 

I learned the iron game (weight training) before I ever took a yoga or step class. I was 15 years old when I got schooled in the weight-room by the local bodybuilders who only knew how to train for mass and leanness. I entered high school as a petite little thing and after a few years under the bench press, curling the big weights and giving my thighs a good pounding under the squat rack I left high school with a few striations and muscle tone that turned heads.

 

After my high school gym rat days I completed a 5 year degree in human kinetics and proceeded to roam the continent sampling every fitness class and gadget that I could find. 

 

Interestingly my current workouts look a lot like the first workouts I did back in ‘93. Heavy resistance, classic bodybuilding exercise, headphones on.

To me nothing feels better than being strong. Nothing keeps me lean like strength training. Nothing is more effective for beautiful posture and a toned physique than resistance training. 

 

I read Victoria Boutenko’s book Green for Life back in 2012.  I had been scooping green powders into my protein shakes for some time but her book “really reshaped my thinking about greens and protein.” Read my full book review here.

 

Now I skip the protein powder but my smoothies are still packed full of green stuff like spinach, cilantro, parsley, and other leafy greens. My smoothies also tend to have a lot more purple and pink in them now since I’ve learned about the potency of wild blueberries and the introduction to superfoods like acai berries and dragon fruit which few of us had heard of a decade ago.

 

In addition to making kid-friendly shakes (not green) I keep my precious Vitamix blender active everyday making my Medical Medium inspired Heavy Metal Detox Smoothie which includes 5 synergistic superfoods that draw heavy metals out of the body: wild blueberries, cilantro, dulse, spirulina, and barley grass juice powder.

 

 

Remember when we used to roll around on gigantic foam rollers that totally didn’t fit our body? My friends at Travel Roller invented the first 4” diameter roller that fits so nicely around my curves and joints. I still use my Travel Roller all the time and it often accompanies me in my suitcase when I travel. Keeping fascia hydrated and supple is a game-changer. Rolling out my fascia is critical to maintain my posture and alignment, to prepare for workouts, to regen(erate) after workouts, and to relax.

 

10 years later my collection of tools for myofascial release has grown considerably. I switch up my fascia care by rolling around on these Myofascial tools several times a week:

 

 

Sweating out toxins and wringing out my body is one of my all-time favorite pastimes. I crave the feeling of revitalization that I feel after a super sweat.  10 years ago I started taking Hot Yoga classes and  became hooked.  I have always loved warm things like saunas and steam baths and I never have to go far to get a no-exertion sweat on because I have an infrared sauna in my home and I use it at least twice a week. 

I have miniature teacups for my toddler and evening tea time is a daily wellness ritual we do in our house. A decade ago I ended the day sipping chamomile and peppermint but now I brew up these super-healing teas inspired by the Medical Medium. 

 

Licorice Root tea is my new favorite,  it’s a powerful antiviral.

Lemon Balm tea is very mild in flavor but is super antibacterial and antiviral.

Hibiscus tea is more tart than I generally enjoy but because of its antioxidant superpowers, I enjoy a few cups a week.

Rose Hips tea is loaded full of vitamin C.

Plus a dose of phytochemicals in raw honey helps us fight pathogens like viruses and bacteria.