8 wellness hacks for vitality, clarity & nourishment

When I reflect back on this year, I realize that I tried a TON of new wellness/self-care practices -- many that I will continue in the new year! 

I wanted to share my favorites with you because -- they’re super simple. 

Any time I remember to practice them, I feel clear, energetic and nourished. I want you to feel the same! 

Here are my eight favs: 

1. Simple exercises that increase circulation and gently detox your body.

Taylor and I made a fun iPhone video about this when we were in Taiwan this summer for business. Despite jet lag, important meetings and combing the lush Taiwanese landscape for special flowers (and retreat places), when we were in Taipei, we carved out time to do movement practices for an hour each day. We learned some wellness practices from a handsome 80-year-old, and created a morning ritual. See the video here.

2. Flower essences with powerful physical health benefits.

It started with the Self Heal Flower from Iceland. This little flower is extremely powerful at helping awaken our body’s natural self-healing mechanisms. It’s what kept my 17-year-old dog Joy on the planet for two extra years. Now we’re hearing stories about less bloating and food sensitivities (and experiencing it ourselves!) 

Also, I don’t know anything more powerful at balancing painful periods than flower essences.

Over time, we’ll discover more and more ways that flower essences are supportive for physical wellness.

3. Powerful practices that take into account ‘unseen’ forces.

Here are five of our absolute favorite life-changing practices - we practice them consistently! They take into account energies that can’t been seen - but can be felt. 

4. The ability to unravel physical imbalances with pure awareness -- and awareness alone.

Usually we believe that physical imbalances require physical remedies or a physical manipulation of some sort. But what if we had the power to heal ourselves by asking a few simple questions and listening -- really listening -- to our bodies? More about that here. 

5. Sourdough culture that instantly improves gut health and slims you down within 24 hours! 

This was my experience and I thought I might be crazy. My Mom recently did a test by making a few loaves from the culture I had, and she noticed the same thing! Dramatically improved microbiome, and she also felt she slimmed down immediately by eating sourdough bread (What?!). More about the magic of sourdough here. 

6. Yummy, nourishing adaptogen drinks (are where it’s at). 

Cacao Rasa is a decadent, easy-to-make beverage that you can drink every day (year round!) to reduce sugar cravings, help you better adapt to stress, and increase vitality. I am forever in love with the founder of the company - Lopa Van der Mersch - and what she’s created is worth being cult-ish about. My favorite Rasa flavor is Cacao: you won’t regret it. Period. Brew some up in your French press or teapot. Add a splash of oat milk and done. Divine self-care. 

And here’s the podcast I did with Lopa. 

7. Guasha, ‘whacking’ and reflexology are my new jam for self-care & wellness practices, AKA, when it hurts so good (just a tiny bit), it’s good for you. 

Guasha: You may have seen this Traditional Chinese Medicine practice in skin care with thin pieces of jade or rose quartz, but body guasha is next level. It’s slightly painful and gives you some bruising for a few days (think: an eel got ahold of you and gave you large hickies). Pay no mind to what it looks like, because it’s worth it -- the process scrapes the toxins from your fascia, releases tension and opens up a fuller flow of energy. 

QiGong Meridian Tapping: Affectionately called, ‘whacking’, we’ve incorporated it into our Botanical Treatments with a black tourmaline tool from Taiwan that relaxes your muscles in seconds. You can do this at home with your hands too - gently tap or slap up and down your arms, body and legs to stimulate circulation, release toxins and move the blood. 

Reflexology: After experiencing therapeutic reflexology treatments in Singapore, it’s hard to enjoy a greasy foot rub back here in the states. Forever in search of someone like my favorite reflexologist in Singapore, I’ve not been able to find someone in Phoenix that’s been trained in (TCM) reflexology. 

If you go to see Ah An in Singapore, you’ll spend the first 20 minutes trying to disassociate from your body from the pain, followed by the next 40 minutes trying not to fall asleep in the cushy recliner chair they seat you in -- because you’re so relaxed.

8. A pat of salted butter in coffee is reallllly good. Not sure how I drank coffee before without it.

There are lots of reasons why people do this practice. Erin Borbet, our favorite acupuncturist, recommended to me that I eat breakfast every morning before drinking coffee. I have to admit, I’ve not been successful at this lately … and what I’ve been doing instead is putting some butter in my coffee -- and it’s soooo good!  ; ) 

I don’t proclaim to have experienced any wild health benefits from putting butter in my morning coffee, but it feels more grounding and nourishing -- the coffee is less jangly on my nerves. If at some point my body gets tired of the fat, I’ll stop. But for now, it’s nourishing. 

What wellness/self-care practices have you experienced this year that you’ll bring with you into 2020?

Remember: the simpler, the better. 

Love & self-care,