Written by Ashlee Romine (future Registered Dietitian) | Reviewed by Sammy Peterson (Registered Dietitian)

If regular milk makes your stomach hurt, lactose may not be the culprit. Let me break it down.

Lactose is a sugar found in dairy products, and different dairy products contain varying amounts of lactose. When dairy is fermented, like in yogurt or cheese, the microbes digest the sugars and produce a sour, fermented taste. That’s why it’s important to choose cheeses aged for 3–6 months; this aging allows time for full fermentation. Similarly, finding yogurt that is truly fermented can be tricky, but often you’ll see probiotics listed in the ingredient label, which is a good sign.

If you find you can handle cheese and yogurt but not milk, you might be sensitive to lactose.

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But some people react to all types of dairy—milk, cheese, yogurt, kefir, everything.

This is often due to sensitivity to the proteins in milk. Milk contains many proteins, but the two primary ones are whey (about 20%) and casein (about 80%). Some people are more sensitive to whey, others to casein.

To explain casein further, casein is the building block of milk and plays a major role in forming cheese. There are four main types of casein:

• Alpha-S1 casein: the most common casein type in cow’s milk
• Alpha-S2 casein: present in smaller amounts
• Beta-casein: includes the famous A1 and A2 variants, which are the center of much debate
• Kappa-casein: keeps the other caseins from clumping too soon until cheese-making begins

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Now, let’s dive deeper into the A1 vs. A2 casein story:

A1 beta-casein is most commonly found in cow’s milk. It originated from a natural genetic mutation in European dairy cows thousands of years ago. This mutation changed one amino acid from proline to histidine, which is a small but significant change that affects how the protein is digested.

During digestion, A1 beta-casein can lead to the release of a peptide called BCM-7, which is thought to be linked to some digestive or inflammatory responses in sensitive individuals.

A2 beta-casein, on the other hand, is found in older cow breeds that still carry the original gene. Interestingly, goat, sheep, and even human milk contain only A2 beta-casein. A2 beta-casein does not produce BCM-7, which can cause gut discomfort, bloating, and gas.

Some human studies have shown that people who experience discomfort with regular milk often have fewer symptoms when consuming A2 milk. Smaller studies also suggest reduced inflammation markers or improved gut transit time with A2 compared to A1. However, research is still emerging, and everyone tolerates milk differently.

Since A2 beta-casein is more similar to the protein in human breast milk, it’s reasonable to assume it may be easier to digest—but remember, some people have sensitivities to lactose, whey, or alpha-casein regardless. The best approach is to try different dairy options and listen to your body.

Myth-Busting Section:

❌ Myth #1: A2 milk is lactose-free

✅ Truth: Lactose is a sugar, while A2 refers to a type of protein (beta-casein) in milk. They are not the same. The only way to remove lactose is through fermentation or lactose extraction.

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❌ Myth #2: A1 casein only appears in milk because cows are grain-fed

✅ Truth: The A1 vs. A2 difference is due to cow genetics, not diet. The mutation happened naturally thousands of years ago. While many high-yield dairy breeds like Holsteins (often grain-fed) carry the A1 gene, diet does not create the gene.

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❌ Myth #3: A2 milk is a modern invention

✅ Truth: A2 is actually the original form of beta-casein, found in older cow breeds, goats, sheep, and even human breast milk.

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❌ Myth #4: A2 milk cures inflammation and gut issues because it contains more omega-3s

✅ Truth: A2 milk is not automatically higher in omega-3 fatty acids. The A2 label refers only to the casein protein type, not fat content or quality. Omega-3 levels depend largely on the cow’s diet. Grass-fed cows produce milk with higher omega-3s and a better omega-6:omega-3 ratio, which can reduce inflammation.

Thinking about trying A2 milk?

Have you avoided cow’s milk for years but are starting to wonder if it might actually work for you now? I get it, I was that person too ??‍♀️. All through college, I swore by oat and almond milk because I thought they were the healthier choice. Now? I’m in my raw milk is a superfood era, and loving it.

It’s not that plant-based milks are bad, but cow’s milk has gotten a bad rap for a long time, and it’s finally starting to make a comeback in the wellness world. The truth is: we’re all different, and our bodies respond differently to dairy.

That’s why at Simply Wellness, we offer DNA testing to help you understand exactly how your body processes lactose. No more guessing, no more trial and error—just personalized insights to help you feel energized, less bloated, and confident in your food choices.

Ready to get to the root of your inflammation and start feeling like yourself again? Let’s figure out what works best for your body, together.

Written by Ashlee Romine (future Registered Dietitian) | Reviewed by Sammy Peterson (Registered Dietitian)

I don’t know about you, but I like having a little treat after dinner but also love getting a great night sleep. Often times sugary desserts at night can mess with my sleep cycles and leave me feeling groggy in the morning. Luckily there are snacks that I have found to still satisfy my craving while promoting melanin production and aiding in a deeper more restful sleep.

Melatonin goes way beyond helping you fall asleep. Melatonin is an antioxidant powerful enough and small enough to pass through the mitochondrial matrix. Very few antioxidants are able to go into this VIP space. Melatonin in this space helps compact any oxidative stress slowing down your mitochondria. You mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell, and the most important cell in creating ATP (Energy).

Environmental factors, processed foods, etc. cause harm to the mitochondria and create what is called reactive oxygen species or (ROS) which in excess can kill the mitochondrial cells and result in slowed energy. This looks like to you: tiredness throughout the day, lethargic, poor muscle recovery etc. Melatonin is activated and goes deep into your mitochondria during the deep sleep phase.

Tart cherry juice, and dark chocolate in this recipe are full of naturally occurring melatonin to help you fall asleep and get a more restful sleep.

Camomile tea (another ingredient in this recipe) also aids in sleep, by calming the brain. anyone struggle with a restless mind before falling asleep ?, I know I do. My mind wanders off, thinking about my to do list which leads to stress. Luckily, Camomile contains apigenin, which is a gavonoid that binds to the GABA receptors in the brain. These receptors are the brain’s main inhibitory neurotransmitter that calms down nerve activity, which makes you feel more relaxed and sleepier. This natural remedy works very similarly to how some anti-sleep anxiety or sleep medications work, but much gentler. Some studies have even shown that apigenin was found to enhance mitochondrial biogenesis, which is the formation of new mitochondria in cells. More mitochondria = more good ENERGY!

Lastly, this recipe includes coconut milk which is full of healthy fats and MCT (medium chain triglycerides). These healthy fats help support the production of sleep and stress hormones like melatonin and cortisol. Balanced hormones = less blood sugar drama!

Total time: 5 hours

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup unsweetened tart cherry juice
• ½ cup full fat coconut milk
• ½ cup Camomile tea brewed
• 1 tbs local honey or maple syrup (low glycemic sweeteners)
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons Coconut oil
• ½ cup 75% dark chocolate chips
• ¼ cup finely chopped pistachios

Directions:

• Place 2 tea bags of Camomile tea in a microwave safe mug and pour hot water over. Let steep for 5 min
• In a blender combine coconut milk, tart cherry juice, sweetener, vanilla extract, and Camomile tea
• Pour into silicone popsicles molds
• Freeze for at least 4 hours or until fully set.
• Near the end of the 4 hours microwave safe bowl mix chocolate chips with coconut oil.
• Microwave in 30 second increments until fully melted.
• Once popsicles have been frozen for 4 hours. remove one pop at a time from the freezer and use a large spoon to pour the melted chocolate over it. Quickly sprinkle with pistachios or other desired toppings.
• Enjoy!!

Swaps:

Dairy-free: use dairy free chocolate chips

Vegan: use maple syrup and not honey

FAQ’s:

Q: Are these popsicles safe for kids?

Definitely. They’re free of refined sugar and contain real ingredients you can feel good about.

The consumption of raw milk has gained popularity on social media platforms Instagram and Tik Tok. Health and wellness influencers are promoting this behavior as being “gut healing” and increasing their ability to consume dairy-containing foods.

Other claims made about the consumption of raw dairy include improved skin health and hormone balancing. Getting a matcha latte with raw milk is being promoted as the pinnacle of health by influencers who start their “what I eat in a day” videos with a body check and their only qualifications to speak on the matter being a flat stomach. The circulating claims that raw milk is pure, and that pasteurized milk is stripped of its nutrition are entirely false.

The process of milk pasteurization began in the United States in 1908 in Chicago (Lucey, 2015). This was when tuberculosis was considered an epidemic and health crisis. There were numerous concerns about the transmission of tuberculosis from infected cow’s milk to humans, with estimated cases being approximately 10% (Lucey, 2015). The process of pasteurization is heating the milk to 72 degrees Celsius for fifteen seconds, or 138 degrees Celsius for four seconds (Lucey, 2015). The “Grade A” pasteurization label seen on dairy milk containers in grocery stores comes from the 1924 invention of the Standard Milk Ordinance regulation from the U.S. Public Health Service. In pasteurization, every particle of milk is heated in the appropriate equipment to both the specified time and temperature to ensure consumer safety (Lucey, 2015).

The argument for raw dairy proposes that it has greater concentrations of Lactobacillus, which is a probiotic strain shown to have numerous benefits for digestion. Probiotics greatly impact the health of the digestive system which has a direct impact on mood in addition to other outcomes of health. It is important to consume probiotic rich foods, but raw dairy is not the best option given that the risk is greater than the reward.

In a 2020 observational study, the gut microbiota of the treatment group that consumed raw dairy and the control group that consumed pasteurized dairy was compared (Butler et.al., 2020). There were so statistically significant differences in the microbiota of each group pre-trial and post-trial after 12 weeks of consumption (Butler et.al., 2020). The only significant finding was the increase in Lactobacillus strains in the treatment group (Butler et.al., 2020). The discussion of this study stated the numerous confounding variables present, the one which may have had the most impact being a shift in environment (Bulter et.al., 2020). The study was limited in being an observational study rather than a blinded randomized controlled trial. The authors of the study concluded that while raw dairy does contain high levels of beneficial probiotic strains, there is more research needed to determine if raw dairy is a causative mechanism for increased short chain fatty acids and Lactobacillus in the human microbiota (Butler et.al., 2020). The authors also concluded that there is no existing evidence for the consumption of raw dairy to improve lactose intolerance (Butler et.al., 2020).

There are numerous other foods besides raw diary that contain probiotics, and these foods have reported benefits. Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and sauerkraut all have reported probiotic benefits for gut health. These foods do not pose the same risk as the consumption of raw milk due to their processing mechanisms. Raw milk has a greater risk associated with it than reward, because of the possible infections from the cow, farmer, and environment. Stick to consuming pasteurized dairy and consider increasing dietary fiber from whole foods to generate the short chain fatty acids that are necessary for the growth and formation of beneficial probiotic strains. Also add some of the fermented foods listed above for additional probiotic support. Wellness influencers on social media platforms without any licensure or credentials often speak from opinion rather than peer- reviewed science, so always research from reputable sources before hopping on to the latest health trend on Tik Tok, because some could have serious consequences.

Helpful References:

Butler MI, Bastiaanssen TFS, Long-Smith C, Berding K, Morkl S, Cusack AM, Strain C, Busca K, Porteous-Allen P, Claesson MJ, Stanton C, Cryan JF, Allen D, & Dinan TG. (2020). Recipe for a healthy gut: Intake of unpasteurized milk is associated with increased Lactobacillus abundance in the human microbiome. Nutrients, 12(5), 1468. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7285075/

de Klerk JN, & Robinson PA. (2022). Drivers and hazards of consumption of unpasteurized bovine milk and milk products in high-income countries. Peer J., 10(1346). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9135038/

Lucey, J.A. (2015). Raw milk consumption. Nutrition Today, 50(4), 189-193. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4890836/

With new food brands entering the market every year it can be difficult to navigate and sort through all the health claims, here are some of the 5 best new food and drink companies we’ve found!

#2: Somos mexican food was started by 3 friends who grew up in Mexico and wanted to share their authentic family recipes with the world. Their foods range from separate sides of rice and beans, chips and salsa, to plant based entrees, and full burrito bowls. These are convenient microwavable healthy meals and sides packed with flavor and nutrients! The burrito bowls are a great complete meal for a quick nutrition dinner and the rice, beans, chips and salsa are all perfect to bring as a side to your next potuck or fiesta!

#3: Instant ramen has long been associated with being a high sodium and low nutrient density food, but not Noodie! This instant ramen is made with noodles that are not fried, have extra vegetables, more protein, and less sodium than other popular instant ramen brands. The vegetables are freeze dried so they retain about 90% of their original nutrients and freshness! This ramen is super flavorful and much more satiating than other ramen and it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare! If you love umami flavors and are looking for new quick lunch or dinners to try, try Noodie!

#4: Inspired to make a change after watching lose family members to Alzheimers, the founders of Mosh created a brain healthy nutritional bar that could be eaten at home or on the go! These bars come in both a whey protein and plant based option and have flavors ranging from cookie dough, peanut butter, lemon white chocolate and more! They have no added sugar, but do have sugar alcohols if that is something you’re watching out for. They are also kosher approved, gluten free and keto friendly! What really sets them apart is their ingredients that support brain health. They have their own unique “brain blend” in every bar that is made up of flaxseed, bovine collagen, Lion’s mane, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3, KSM-66, and Ashwagandha. And unlike most bars, they do not have a strong protein powder aftertaste overpowering the flavors of the bar!

#5:Perfy is a new superfood soda that has the benefits of no sugar added, low on the glycemic index, low calorie, and they have 50mg of L-Theanine and 30mg of Ashwagandha, which both promote brain health and focus! They currently have 4 flavors out, Blood Orange Yuzu, Tropical Citrus, Fruit Punch and Dr. Perfy. The first ingredient is carbonated water, followed by fruit juice and puree not from concentrate. They’re sweetened with allulose, stevia, and monk fruit, which minimize blood sugar spikes. All 4 flavors are super refreshing and a great beverage choice to curb soda cravings!

[Please contact your doctor or other healthcare professional before starting any new function beverages and foods to make sure they are right for you!]

You know, when it comes to my favorite kitchen gadgets, it’s not what you might expect. There are two little game-changers that have made a world of difference in my cooking routine, and they might just surprise you. But before I share the tea on what they are, let me chat about why they’re such a big deal to me.

Some of my biggest pet peeves about cooking, and baking is:

1.) Measuring Cups, they annoy me. Yet when I’m making a new recipe or baking, I rely on them to make sure I don’t mess anything up. They always end up messy, and it’s frustrating when I need to measure both liquid and dry ingredients consecutively, leading to a sticky, messy situation. ?‍♀️ . I either have to use a new measuring spoon, or wash and dry the used one. Neither are good options. Washing it takes more time, and using a new one, means more dishes later ?.

2.) And don’t even get me started on buying a whole bag of something for just a pinch. There are some kitchen ingredients that are STAPLES to me, and I use them in almost every recipe; however, there are some I never use, and when a recipe requires me to buy a whole bag of something I will only use in one recipe, it drives me crazy ?.

Now I’m someone who is passionate about food and cooking, and I love being in the kitchen, so I can only imagine how much more frustrating these things are for people who hate being in the kitchen and are super busy and don’t have time or money to wash extra dishes or buy an extra thing that you only use once from the store.

Now I have been cooking and baking forever, and I am constantly trying to find new foods from restaurants and trying to replicate it at home. By being around food and nutrition daily, I’ve gotten to the point where I know some good easy swaps to foods, and what flavor profiles to put together, to the point, where I can come up with a recipe based on what I see in my fridge. This is a skill that takes a while to get good at and accomplish, and you really have to have the time and passion to dedicate to learn.

Through the years of trial and error, I’ve discovered two kitchen gadgets that have made my life significantly easier, and I’m eager to share them with you to make your kitchen experience more enjoyable and less time-consuming. So as promised, here are the kitchen gadgets that save me so much time, and money:

1.) Ditch the measuring cups and use a Kitchen scale! ⚖ Like this one. Most recipes will have the gram of measurements next to the measuring cup size. It is so much easier and less dishes to 0 out the scale with a large bowl, weight your first ingredient and then repeat that process.

2.) its 2024 y’all ?and its time we use AI to our advantage! ChatGTP is a great resource to find and customize recipes! Ask ChatGTP to make you meals based on what you already have in your fridge or pantry, and tell it what you are craving, and wanting. Have it spit out recipes that are measured using a kitchen scale, and ask it to keep your ingredients minimal. If you are feeling a gourmet meal, that is easy, ask it to make that. The more specific you can be the better your meals will turn out.

These are just 2 gadgets that are saving me time in the kitchen, and honestly, I could not live without. I don’t know why these things are not talked about more. I guess people don’t want you knowing the true secrets to cooking faster and saving money.

Sammy and I are well acquainted with these struggles of being to busy or tired to cook; however, we are people that are passionate about still eating healthy, so along with these tools, we have created a guide with all the tricks and tips we have learned over our many, many years of cooking, baking, and schooling. We teach you about flavor profiles, and resources to help you become faster at cooking. This guide too has some quick easy recipes that have been staples for Sammy and I for years. These are our go to recipes we turn to when we are tired and don’t feel like cooking. If you are interested in learning more time saving tricks, click the button below and check out our “Too Tired to Give a F*ck guide” a gourmet guide to healthy quick meals.

-Ashlee Romine (Simply Wellness Executive Assistant)

It’s no surprise that many fellow boss babes and entrepreneurs alike, face similar issues when it comes to the bedroom. Increased stress, workaholic tendencies, difficultly balancing time between work-life, decreased sex drive and desire have left you and your partner feeling like passing ships.

Today, it’s no longer about age or gender, younger generations are struggling with the same lackluster libido, energy that’s barely there and on a constant stride to achieve more, do more and be more. This path, with modern day lifestyle and added stressors are the exact things compromising not only your sex life, but how you feel from the inside out. What do we really want? We want to feel as good on the inside as we do on the outside! This not only unlocks confidence for yourself but provides a positive feedback loop into your business and daily life, but also plays a big role in the bedroom.

Here’s how you can start to take ownership to feel as good as you want to look and supercharge that sex drive of yours:

1 | Regularity of your Meals: Timing

Blood sugar rollercoasters take a toll on your energy and sex drive, largely due to changes in hormones including your cortisol (i.e. your stress hormone). Between busy schedules, non-stop work days and unplanned meals – this can be disastrous when it comes to your meal regularity. You may find yourself becoming dizzy, foggy minded and even nauseous until you are “cued” that it’s time to eat.

Start improving this cycle by first paying attention to how often you are eating. If you are already nodding your head “yes” knowing you don’t eat regularly – this ones for you. Start by planning your meals and snacks ahead of time. This may start with one consistent meal a day, packing easy “go-to” snacks you can grab or set an alarm for the frequency of your meals. I recommend trying not to go longer than 3-4 hours without having some form of food in your system. This will help prevent those blood sugar crashes and peaks, therefore improving energy and internal stress that has a lot to do with your sex drive.

2 | Mindset: Managing Stress

Speaking of stress, the modern lifestyle is filled with stress of all sorts – both internally and externally. It’s important we implement simple ways to reduce and help manage stress on the everyday basis that suits our own lifestyle. Chronic stress can lead to elevated levels of cortisol, wreaks havoc on aspects like getting restful sleep and can feed into overeating cycles and unintentional weight gain. But it doesn’t stop there. Chronic high levels of stress can decrease your sex drive and desire due to this flight or fight reponse happening within the body on top of psychological effects of stress including feeling frazzled, distracted and impacting your mood – the not-so-perfect recipe to support a great libido.

So what to do? Look for ways to reduce stress that fits your lifestyle! Start your morning with a stress relieving activity like meditation, kickoff with a nutritious balanced breakfast, packing planned snacks for the day, playing music on a commute if driving can be stressful and prioritizing reconnection time for you and your partner. These are just a few examples, but ideally you want to identify where some of your biggest stressors are and 1-2 simple small steps you can begin to take right away to help improve your sex drive, libido, mood and so much more.

3 | Circulation & Stamina: Promote Good Blood Flow

Circulation, blood flow and stamina are all connected to sexual response, in both men and women. Creating a system that supports sexual response is key to improve sexual drive and desire like erectile response and heightened sensitivity. By focusing on great heart health and improving circulation, this can be synonymous with improving your sex life.

Luckily, there are a lot of different things we can do using a combination of healthy lifestyle factors. 

• Pay attention to what you eat: Eating a diet rich in deep colored fruits and vegetables, seafood, sea vegetables, legumes, nuts, beets, healthful fats like avocado and antioxidant rich dark chocolate. 
• Move your body in a way that feels good: walking, weight lifting, yoga – just get moving without intense expectations! I like to call this “no expectation movement.”
• Schedule in self-care: massages or daily rebounding exercises, starting at 5-10 minutes per day. When we schedule it in, it’s more bound to be prioritized.

4 | The Art of Doing Nothing: Slow Down

A concept many boss babes and fellow entrepreneurs struggle with – the art of doing nothing. In today’s modern society, most people are always “go go go” so to slow down can be quite frankly – hard! But in today’s world, we need more of this to help reduce the constant stimulation, the glorified hustle and grind and the workaholic lifestyle.

So how do you even begin? There are a lot of ways! 

• You can prep yourself with getting used to slowing your thoughts and being truly present by starting with 1-3 min daily meditation. 
• Another way is to sit outside, amongst nature and do nothing starting with 5 minute intervals, and slowly building to 30 minute time blocks you can do weekly or multiple times a week – eventually.

By slowing down, you are working on calming the nervous system, reducing stress and supporting your mood – all of which have direct influences on your bedroom life.

5 | Super Boosters: Supercharge from the Inside

Some of the best ways to achieve change is by focusing on what I call “low hanging fruit.” These are things that are simple yet super effective without a lot of effort, something many of us can benefit from. Utilizing a holistic approach when it comes to supporting your sexual well-being and habits is essential. Once your actions become habits such as the foods you intentionally choose, a healthful routine that offers balance, movement that supports your body inside and out and ultimately creating a life that aligns with you  – then it’s perfect time to add in super boosters to already established healthy habits. These will be the “low hanging fruit” that can take benefits to the next level.

So what are super boosters? Super boosters can be herbs, local ingredients like bee pollen, mushrooms and so much more. They offer a large range of health benefits from brain focus, energy, detoxification, relaxation and of course – may act as libido boosters and sex drivers.

While more researched based evidence is needed, here are some examples of possible super boosters for your libido:

• Maca
• Beets
• Ginkgo biloba
• Ginseng
• Fenugreek

Consult your healthcare provider before starting any of these as some may interact with other medications, may be contraindicated or may not be medically appropriate for you. As research continues to expand, the list of options will continue to grow which leads us to an exciting time where these potential super boosters can be used to to heat up sex drive!

The bottom line?

Use a combination of holistic support including paying close attention to your nutrition, the movement you choose, awareness of what lifestyle choices can be added or removed, giving yourself breaks from stimulants or constant stimulating activities, including more time for pleasure, time for reconnection and building these habits to be integrated seamlessly into your day to day. This will not only turn up the heat in the bedroom but will be your recipe to a supercharged sex life.

If you are interested in learning more about hormones, or struggle with painful periods, low libido, acne, migraines, etc. and want to balance your hormones for optimal health, then check out our Get SYNCD guide! This guide walks your through what types of food, exercise, work, and lifestyle recommendations to incorporate in each phase of your cycle! Syncing your life with your cycle is the best way to bring harmony and balance to make your horm

We are here with Leah Sherman, a naturopathic Doctor, discussing everything supplements! Which includes vitamins, minerals, herbs, and even essential oils. Leah Sherman is a naturopathic doctor who specializes and has a huge heart for cancer patients! if you are interested in listening/ watching the podcast scroll to the end!

Q: What is considered a supplement? And what else may fall under here (I.e. vitamins, minerals, herbs, homeopathy, tinctures, etc) when discussing supplements and natural remedies?

A supplement is what one would have in addition to a regular diet. But it also goes beyond that. It’s something that would be derived from food, or that you would get from food, like a vitamin or a mineral. Herbs, homeopathy, and tinctures, whether it’s a capsule or powder, would all be considered supplements. Anything that people take for some sort of health benefit would be considered a supplement. It’s an add-on to a regular diet to accomplish something that you are hoping to achieve and have some sort of effect. Whether that effect is symptom relief, adding in nutrition, optimization of brain concentration, or anything like that.

Q:What are some reasons people may need to take supplements?

The emphasis on need! I once saw it broken down this way and I think it is a really good way to break down why people take supplements or would NEED to take a supplement. So the first one is to prevent or treat nutrient deficiencies. For example, preventing scurvy by taking vitamin C, or taking vitamin D for rickets. The bare minimum recommended daily allowance to prevent some sort of deficiency. The next one would be to prevent, delay, or treat a certain medical condition. For example, l Osteoporosis is something that happens as people age, bones start to get thin and weak. And so taking certain supplements, whether it’s calcium, vitamin D, or vitamin K to prevent that. If they have osteoporosis and they’re getting certain medications to manage that, they need to take a certain amount of calcium and vitamin D. The last reason, and I don’t know if it’s necessarily a need, it’s what we call the green pharmacy. So that’s when someone might take ashwagandha to manage stress. You’re taking something in place of a prescription medication or an over-the-counter medication. Taking something like nettles to manage allergies. Those are the three reasons that people would take a supplement. 

Q: Does supplements replace food – why or why not?

A multivitamin is a really good example! When somebody takes multivitamins, they’re like, “I’m getting all my nutrients through this”. My answer to this, It’s Always Food First! And you know, when you have that person who comes to you and says, oh my diet’s horrible, so I take a multivitamin, part of you is like, no, don’t do that, and then the other part of you is like, well do that as your diet is worked on. I don’t want people to think of it as I’m gonna eat junk all the time and so I’m gonna take all of these vitamins to make myself better. Because we know it’s not the same. It’s not what people think of when they think of naturopathic doctors, where we do focus more on supplements. But yes, I 150% believe it’s always food first because it has all of those other things, such as fiber, fats, and proteins. It has all of the things that we need to build healthy cells, which makes us healthy. Because food synergistically has all those components that work together in its most natural state. Whereas vitamins are something that has been isolated and then now is in an inactivated form that the body can’t even utilize or, is not even at a therapeutic dose. So then it becomes a little raindrop in a big thunderstorm; it’s not gonna make a difference, other than possibly make a more expensive pee. So food first and supplement where you need! 

Q:What are some common myths about supplements that should be debunked?

I think the big one is that they’re all safe! That’s huge, and that goes on so many different levels. It’s anything from somebody who might have a health condition where they probably shouldn’t be taking a certain supplement, to ordering something online and it might not be what it says it is. So safety is a big part of what I do! Making sure my patients are safe, but just thinking that, oh, it’s natural, it’s a vitamin, it’s not gonna hurt me. Oh, I’m just gonna pee it out, you know? And another myth would be, it’s good for anybody! and that plays into the safety aspect too. When a supplement is advertised as “it’s good for every single thing that ever ailed you” that’s not a good thing. Red flag if you hear, something like that! Especially I remember some of the herbal aspects because a lot of the research studies are not there yet, but they might have interactions by saying something that’s a medication for depression or a PPI. So they might have some drug-nutrient interaction. Not everything natural is good for all, and may even be considered safe.

So many people take medications for blood pressure, diabetes, for all kinds of things. And there are herbs that they may take intentionally to help with their blood sugars or to help with their blood pressure, but if they’re taking them at the same time as their medication, either it may interact and cancel out the medication or it will make that medication work more, and they may have really bad sugar crashes or blood pressure crashes and then you’ve got other problems. And so by just taking things off the counter or over the counter I should say, and adding them onto your regimen, if you’re taking a lot of medications, it’s best to have some sort of guidance. The last myth is because it’s cold and flu season, a lot of people take herbs that are not supposed to be something that you take every single day. For example, some people take acacia every single day, all year round. When using herbs, you are supposed, to take a break from them. So whether someone takes it five days on, two days off, or three weeks on a week off, you know, that’s how I was trained that herbs were meant to be taken, and not every single day. You don’t want something that’s ramping up your immune system all the time. The same thing goes with mushrooms, always remember to have those on a rotation basis, you know, especially if it’s immune support.

Q: Are all supplements made equal?

Some are! for example, vitamin D3, is vitamin D3. I don’t want someone getting it from the dollar store, because you have to think about the other components in the vitamin, which ideally is listed on the label, but it’s not always. Quality is the most important thing. If you’re taking this for your health, you don’t wanna take something that either isn’t what it says it is on the label or doesn’t have the quality that you would if you were trying to, you know, eat a good meal, a good healthy meal. So there are certain labels that people can look for on their vitamins and not everything has this label. I guess the number one thing people should look for would be this, does this company do a third-party assessment to check for quality? Some companies are like, oh well we have our people who check our quality and that is another red flag.

Q: What should people be looking out for when buying a high-quality supplement (I.e. third-party testing)?

Good manufacturing practices! is what you wanna look for. And one of the labels that you might see on a supplement would be NSF. Another one is USP (United States, Pharmacopia). Those are certification labels that people pay for to show that they are following certain practices, making sure that their supplements are standardized, and manufacturing quality control.

Q: Could you expand on the importance of GMP-certified and third-party-tested supplements?

It makes sure that the place where the supplement is being manufactured follows those certain standards. You know, the big thing that I keep coming back to is herbs, because, and this may not be specific to what GMP does, but not ordering from a reputable site or even somebody that has a great reputation, but maybe their standards that they’re following aren’t regulated in the limited way that supplements are regulated. You might be taking something that isn’t what it says it is on the label. Looking for fillers, the fewer fillers possible is a really good thing to look for. It’s like reading a food label. Those fillers would be found in the other ingredients part of a supplement label, it might say cellulose or whatever else they might add in there. Another red flag is when something says a proprietary blend. What does that mean? It has some milligram amount and it’s got 42 different supplements and you’re like, what am I taking? Like do they just kind of wave the vitamin or the herb over the capsule and they’re like, okay, it’s in there too? And then the total amount isn’t even a therapeutic dose of any of the things that are in there. And if it says proprietary blend and there is nothing listed! don’t even go near that! So you’re saying some red flags look out for one, no third-party quality testing or identification on that label. Number two, seeing proprietary blends that have this mysterious number amount that you’re like, what’s that even mean? And three, looking at that other ingredient section for a lot of these fillers.

I am leery of anyone who sells supplements to make money for themselves, for example, multi-level marketing. I’m very leery of that because I don’t know if they do follow third-party certifications or not list what’s on the label. People are very into the products that they sell, but I often question the quality because they tend to be very expensive and tend to make a lot of promises. Even considering in a world that’s so online nowadays, it is easy to see that this influencer suggested this product. Take that as a caution, don’t take them as expertise. Just because some random person has a very large audience online and may seem like a great influence, doesn’t necessarily make them an expert in this field to trust their advice to say. For example, if someone says I’m taking vitamin A and it’s been so great for me. So you should too!  Because it’s not even taking into account the receiver or other people watching this, the consumer on the other side needs to take into account what their medical history is like, what they’re on, whether is it appropriate for them, or is it even a good supplement in general, or is it a supplement that is terrible or is it at such a high dose that you shouldn’t probably be taking that anyways. Like lots of considerations. And I think that’s something that, that what you just said about high dose, that’s a trend that comes and goes taking super high doses of it’s usually a vitamin or a mineral to achieve some sort of effect, which is another red flag. When I did my training, we learned that taking high doses of certain vitamins could help as antivirals and you would see the side effects that people would have. They would end up just having a lot of nausea when the whole goal was to make people feel better. Any supplement is gonna have a greater amount than what you can get from food. So keeping the vitamin or mineral to the minimum amount to achieve the effect that you wanna achieve. What’s the bare minimum for max benefit essentially?

Q: Are there any supplements that warrant extra caution?

There are a lot of those! let me pull out my list! One of the big ones that you’ll hear a lot is, you know, anything that affects blood clotting, especially if people are on certain medications, you wanna be careful with that. In terms of herbs, there are certain things that I think used to be hard to get ahold of, but I think now with Amazon and the internet, it’s easier to get ahold of things. There are certain herbs called low-dose botanicals, which are toxic at even low doses. It doesn’t take very much to create toxicity. And so you don’t want to just take herbs randomly because you saw on social media that somebody else did and it helped them. I think I mentioned before, anything that claims to cure everything is something you need to be wary of because nothing works like that. I wish maybe one day we’ll Invent it, it, right! And then there are certain supplements, for example, if people take vitamin A, they may be taking a medication that could be similar or might be affected like they need the, you know, to be processed through your liver, let’s say. And if somebody takes high doses of vitamin A, herbs, or other vitamins, that will affect liver function, you don’t wanna stress out the liver, or damage the liver in any way. You can cause damage by taking things that are super high doses or by altering the way your liver and your kidneys metabolize medications. I always remember you talking especially about the P 44 50 enzymes, and that pathway in the liver. But to explain it, it will either speed up and then be not as effective in terms of what it’s supposed to do, or they slow down, and you get a ton more side effects. Truly you just want where it’s meant to be, that sweet in-between, how it was manufactured and thought to be.

The one supplement that we hear about the most is St. John’s Wort. And so people will take St John’s wort for like mild depression, melancholy is what it was traditionally used for. And if somebody uses birth control pills, the St. John’s wort will interact with how your body metabolizes them. Therefore, the medication won’t do what it’s supposed to do. And that can even be an ingredient on a sleep aid supplement or some other proprietary blend. You really wanna be careful. Even eating grapefruit can affect how medications are metabolized. And so a lot of people will get supplements that are vitamins, minerals, probiotics, fish oils, whatever, and they have essential oils in them and you don’t know how much of the essential oil is in there. Is it in there for flavor or some kind of effect? If there are these citrus essential oils, are those potentially gonna interact with your medication? We don’t know cuz we don’t know how much is in there, but we do know that certain essential oils can affect liver metabolism.

Q: Would you also say then that essential oils are a part of that group of cautionary supplements to ingest?

So I don’t consider essential oils a supplement because in my mind a supplement is something that you’re ingesting. And I don’t think that essential oils should be ingested by the masses. Some people are experts and know the proper dosing, people who specialize in aromatherapy. They know which ones can be ingested, and which ones could be used in cooking. You know, you could use lavender essential oil when making shortbread, but there’s a very specific dosing because of the strength of one drop, you know?  We used to say that one drop of essential oil is equivalent to 30 cups of tea and nobody’s gonna drink 30 cups of tea in a sitting. I mean that’s a definite medicinal effect. And so, I mean, my rule has always been to not ingest them unless it’s been recommended by somebody who is trained and that doesn’t mean they are somebody who just sells the product. Because I remember at the beginning of the pandemic, I was speaking with someone who was taking large amounts of oregano oil in their water as their antiviral, trying to keep from getting sick and I can’t remember how many drops it was, but I, I remember like gasping and just thinking like you’re gonna burn a hole in your stomach! Because oregano is so potent; It is such a strong herb. I mean I’ve taken oregano tincture in a few drops in hot water and you’re just burping it for days. And that was just a tincture that’s not extracting the essential oil, which is so much stronger. There are a lot of studies looking at the use of essential oils internally, but as I said, it’s gotta be with a trained professional cause you could do more harm. I’m not saying It’s a no, just seek advice from a trained professional on proper dosing and what is acceptable to ingest safely and what’s not. And so that’s why I don’t, I don’t necessarily consider it a supplement because it’s not in the forefront of my mind as something that you should ingest.

Q: Are there any specific drug-nutrient interactions to look out for with common supplements? How can that someone that precaution?

If somebody is doing Accutane, for Acne,  And they are taking a high dose of vitamin A, that would be a contradiction. The big ones are antidepressants and birth control. Lexapro for example also has a lot of potential for interactions. If you take something that is a sedative whether you’re, you taking an anti-anxiety medication or you know, an antidepressant and you take herbs that do the same thing. So if you take an antidepressant and then you take something like five to, which is a precursor for serotonin you may get too much serotonin in your body, and it may build up. There they’re all of these little things that you don’t wanna unless you’re working with a trained professional, to duplicate the effect of the medication. The general rule, If you’re not on any medications, of course, take a cautionary approach when approaching supplements, but especially if you’re on any type of medication like it could be birth control, for example, take extra precautions and make sure you ask your provider beforehand. And I emphasize that again, it’s better to be safe! Some interactions aren’t necessarily with medications.

There is a supplement, it’s for hair and nail growth, biotin. What’s included in things like hair, skin, nail formulas or people just take super high doses, you know, five grams, 10 grams of biotin hope to be that their hair will get thicker and their nails will grow longer. That supplement interacts with a lot of labs, especially thyroid labs, and it doesn’t interact with your thyroid. It interacts with the way that the lab interprets, and the reading of those labs. I normally suggest just stopping taking the biotin three days before you’re gonna have a lab draw. Or to let somebody know you were taking biotin at the time. And you can find biotin in multivitamins as well. And then the other one is vitamin C. If you take high doses, 1000, or 2000 milligrams of vitamin C and then you have your blood sugar checked, it can falsely read your blood sugar levels. So those are the two that I think of the most in terms of interactions that get false positives, false negatives, or like just false readings in general.

Q: What would you say are the top three to five most important vitamins people should be taking?

There is a lot of new controversy around vitamin D showing that there is no benefit. And then the very next day there will be an article saying that there is a benefit in terms of different disease prevention. The benefit comes when deficient people, take it and then it increases their levels and that is when the most benefit is seen. The most recent article I saw was about increasing vitamin D levels has a positive effect on depression. The first thing is getting your vitamin D level checked. If it’s under 20, you are deficient, and therefore, take a supplement. The amount would be determined by your provider, I am not your doctor. 30 is considered sufficient, but you may want that number a little higher, depending on what’s going on. Again, check with your doctor to see what your safe level could be. Vitamin D would be something that there is a lot of vitamin D deficiency. For example, if you are in Arizona, many people are deficient because nobody goes in the sun when it’s 120 degrees outside. Similarly, in a more northern hemisphere, there is not much sun in the winter. So I do think that vitamin D would be a vitamin that would be good for many people, but not for everyone.

Depending on one’s diet, I would say consider an omega-3 fatty acid. Because we don’t tend to get a lot of those in the standard American diet. Ideally, you’re getting it from your food, you’re eating your fatty fish, fatty cold water fish, walnuts, or any other foods that contain these omega threes. However, somebody might need to take a supplement for whatever health reason is going on. Finally, a probiotic might be a possibility, the more variety of these gut microbes that you can have, the better. Because it’s not like there’s just lactobacillus living in our gut. So eating different probiotic foods can provide a variety, whether it’s yogurt or sauerkraut, kimchi, Kiefer, or whatever it may be. Plus its food, so it’s tasty! For some people, probiotics can be beneficial, but there are some people where probiotics can make their bowels worse because they’ve got something else going on. There is not one size fits all when it comes to supplements period. I would recommend seeing your provider if you are considering adding any supplements to your diet. 

Q: Do you have any tips when shopping, storing and using vitamins, minerals, and supplements?

Check to see how your supplements need to be stored because things like probiotics are shelf stable, and then some need to be refrigerated, but not everybody realizes that. So instead they will leave them out but eventually, it’s not gonna be working the way that it’s supposed to. So just keeping them in the refrigerator is ideal, but in general, you want them to be in a cool, dry place. Fish oils would be good to store in the freezer if you do notice that you get a lot of that repeat fish burs as they call them. In the scientific world. I think that the most important thing though is if you’re taking a good quality fish oil, it really won’t have a fishy taste. One thing we used to tell our patients back way in, you know, way back in the day is to take a capsule and puncture it and smell and see what it smells like, and if it is very fishy, it may have already gone rancid. Also do not store ground flax seed in the pantry, because it is going to go bad, especially flax oil, please do not please put it in the fridge. I work with cancer patients and so they’re very sensitive to smells and so maybe putting your multivitamin in the freezer might help to kind of keep that smell and taste down. Because the taste and smell of vitamins can be a big trigger, especially if somebody’s undergoing cancer treatment, has smell sensitivities, or just has trouble with supplements altogether. The same would apply to a B vitamin or just a B complex in general. The smell is one and also the repeating aspect, which is when that vitamin’s taste and smell stick around for a while after swallowing. If you are taking a B vitamin then storing it in the freezer might help, but only if it is in a capsule. If it’s a tablet, I don’t believe it’s gonna make much of a difference

What are your common questions and concerns when it comes to supplements? Is there anything you are curious about that is not answered above? Ask away in the comment section below ?

Summer is the perfect time for a renewed sense of freedom, opportunity, and resets! Truth be told, there is no better day than today to start this refresh. Whether you have fallen succumb to the workaholic lifestyle lately feeling frustrated, maybe even resentful towards not being able to prioritize yourself, not being able to take a vacay like others are, triggered by the smallest of things and living on the over-caffeinated undernourished life OR if you are just trying to find your footing, get back on track and take care of yourself again because no one likes not feeling like themselves (am I right?) you are in the right place.

Let’s dive into the ultimate summer checklist I’ve created for you – the busy, high performer, “do it aller” because it’s important we take care of you too…starting here!

Without further ado, the Ultimate Summer Checklist:

1 | Go out of the office. Deliberately.

“Status: Currently OOO ?”

“Who is on email: Me, the email auto-responder.”

Taking a deliberate vacation, a day off, or just time away even from technology can feel HARD but it is necessary. Whether you are going out of the office to try to disconnect, enjoy a vacation, learn something new and grow – taking intentional time away is a must to reset and feel refreshed.

Think about it like this: 

• If you want to serve your clients or support your family at the highest, you can’t do that depleted
• If you want to feel energized by your daily routine and the work you do, you can’t do that drained
• If you want to feel like yourself again, full of life, energy, zest for living, you can’t do that when you come second to everything else.

With that being said: go put something on the calendar as we speak and deliberately go off the grid, take time away, do something that lights you up! If you are struggling with being burnt out and this workaholic lifestyle, you aren’t alone. I’ve been there, my clients were once there and it is a constant learning curve. But when you see the value in downtime – that you are worth it, that the work and who you support is worth it and that living a life that feels good full of revitalized energy is treasured — this downtime is not a waste but deliberately resetting.

Tell me: What did you put on your calendar when you will be out of the office? Holding you accountable so you can feel your best. This is your permission slip to go OOO… 

2 | Hydrate before you caffeinate.

Hey, all you caffeine lovers – this one is for you.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love meee a strong BOLD coffee, espresso, tea, matcha, booch…you name it. But being stuck in a caffeine hamster wheel trying to stay afloat and survive is only doing you harm. Hang with me here —

All I want you to start practicing is hydrate before you caffeinate. What’s that mean? Have MINIMAL a glass of water before you have your first cup of joe. But best yet? Challenge yourself to a full 32 oz before!

This is a natural energizer, rehydrator after sleeping all night losing fluids while you sleep and mental clarifier! I’m not what you may think of when it comes to stereotypes of what / who a Registered Dietitian & Holistic Wellness Practitioner is…I’m just real and I really get where you are coming from.

So enjoy your caffeine, but hydrate beforehand because I care about the way you feel. Will you try that for this next week?

….Simple yet oh-so effective, just the way I like it.

3 | Time for an Energy Restructure! 

“Going through the motions” — introducing the most hamster of all hamster wheels.

This cycle just reeks of feeling stagnant, stuck, not feeling invigorated on a day-to-day basis. Who feels thrilled living a life that way? Not me but we have all been there… So let’s shake it up. 

Before we begin, time to visualize. Picture energy as an infinite energy circle that is continuous. When you are in the flow, this circular energy flows naturally and for anyone that bypasses this stream of energy, it acts infectiously, getting caught in this positive energy loop causing shifts in their energy as well. But what if you put a roadblock within this circle? The energy gets stuck, stagnant, and feels difficult to navigate the waters. It’s like a dam of water backed up.

So why is this important to YOU? Because your energy affects every single dang thing in your life. If you don’t believe me, think about how your days run when you feel full of energy vs. super low in energy. Much different right? 

If you’ve been just going through the motions, summer activates the perfect time for brighter, longer days filled with opportunities to change things up!

And to clear out this stagnant energy, it’s time to intentionally change up your energy routine! So where can you begin? Here are 5 Habits to change up your energy routine:

• Switch up your morning routine – change the pattern, add something new, do things in a different order, do it in a new place
• Change your workspace! Move things around, organize, change the order, make it refreshingly appealing to walk in and sit at your workspace
• Try a new workout or movement routine – walk after dinner, workout earlier, try a whole new workout you’ve been wanting to try
• Shake up what you drink and eat
• Write a “not to-do list” of things you don’t need to do and either delete them, delay them or delegate them. Use this newfound space for something that will light your energy up or do nothing at all! It all works!

You can see a theme here: new, simple and intentional actions that take what you are doing and revitalize them for renewed energy! Remember wellness is the foundation to a life lived richly. And living a rich life, starts simply with you and the simplest of things!

What can you start with? Try it immediately!

4 | Find Magic in The Simple Self-Care

Simple creates sustainability. Have you found it?

There are two types of days we’ve all experienced.

The days where we feel completely ON FIRE ? and the not-so-wanted days where everything just feels…well off.

On the days where you just feel off, the thing to ask yourself is, “What’s missing? What’s normally there that makes me feel lit up?”

Typically the answer is simple. It comes down the most smallest of things that fell by the wayside maybe because you woke up and started working immediately before taking care of yourself, didn’t get good sleep because the baby was crying or you were up all night anxious about the next day, you forgot to eat and well drinking…yeah hydration needs some work.

So try this simple self-care checklist to reignite that energy and reprioritize your best asset – YOU:

• Drink water first before anything else 
• Write down 3 things that would make today great
• Take a big slow inhale followed by a longer, extended exhale. Now do it three times through.
• Move daily – get outside, walk, exercise, move in the way that feels good or something you’ve never tried before
• Write out a simple plan of one meal or snack to have daily – that’s it but lead with intention of something that is fueling for you
• Do one fun thing a day because fun tends to fall by the wayside and fun creates space for renewed focus and energy

Save and share this checklist and let’s see you in action daily using it!

5 | Opt for a Hoozy Cocktail

Let’s chat about Hoozy = my new lingo for Healthier Boozy Cocktail (or Mocktail).

Paying attention to what you drink is a great place to start for renewed energy, revitalization, and all around feeling better like YOURSELF again! I’ve noticed many of my fellow high performer clients, wellness insider’s within our community, and plenty of others finding themselves caught in a habit of enjoying cocktails more often than they’d like to admit due to:

• Wanting to check out or numb feelings they don’t want to feel
• As a way to ‘deal’ and wind down from a stressful day or event
• Celebrating milestones or big things happening
• Just enjoying summer
• …or a nightly habit they didn’t realize (until now…)

But have no shame. It’s okay. Truth be told, all of these are societal norms and tend to be ‘unspoken’ acceptable rules people push without knowing it. But now that you know, we can do something about it in a positive way just to start.

As alcohol tends to be a part of many aspects of our lives, there are a lot of ways we can add more ‘health’ to our already consumed cocktails/mocktails!

Here’s how:

1. Start with your healthier base: try a Kombucha, Jun, Sparkling water, Coconut water, Cold-pressed fresh juice splash, CBD seltzers, Vybes, Bitter base, ginger brew, teas…
2. Alcohol: Clear (and non-flavored) spirits preferred, champagne, proseccos, organic (without added sulfites) red wines, gluten-free and low sugar cider
3. Boost it: Muddled fruits, vegetables, roots (like ginger or turmeric) & herbs (like mint), bitters

Simple 1-2-3 formula to make Hoozy Cocktails. My personal all-time favorite: spirulina blue mermaid booch. I mix my spirulina-based booch with local grapefruit (no sugar added) infused vodka and a dehydrated orange or artichoke bitters!

Will you try a new combo? Save this and let me know what you want to try!

6 | Find Excitement In Seasonal Foods

One of the absolute WORSE things you can do when trying to get healthier…

Get stuck in the same cycle of eating chicken, broccoli, and sweet potatoes (or the same foods) over and over again – and not enjoy it! As humans, we tend to be creatures of habit. And having solid healthy habits is GOLDEN but…not so much if you are finding your nutrition boring.

And I don’t do boring foods. No thanks.

Find inspiration for newness by embracing the seasonality in foods! By eating more in season you are able to give your body (and mind) what it needs to acclimate with the new season and that time of the year!

For summer: think high water-based foods that pack in hydration and cool the body down!

• Find local CSAs, food co-ops, farmers markets to shop at
• Take seasonal herbs that you don’t know what to do with and throw it into a smoothie
• Think fresh, light summer dishes! Raw or lightly grilled fruits can be a nice twist to desserts or as part of dishes!
• Add natural hydration supporters – fresh citrus, crunchy veggies like cucumbers or ANY fresh herb can help you drink more
• Make a fun mocktail spritzer! Blend any extra fruits + sweetener of choice like honey or dates, ice and sparkling water and you have quite a refresher for long summer days

Seasonal eating can be so fun to explore! Try one new thing at a time and worse thing – you don’t like it (and that’s okay).

Did you find this helpful?

From what you eat to how you energize your day to intentional time away – this quick summer checklist will help you feel like YOU again, revitalizing your energy to your soul! Get started now.

This 4-week tune-up will guide you through healthy easy eats (and drinks), weekly fun challenges and sustainable approaches so that by the time summer rolls in or a special event you have or if you are just in need of a RECHARGE, this will leave you feeling great!

Remove any excuse and start having fun while you get healthier, happier, and more energized! Healthy living is all about keeping it simple in a way that supports your high performer lifestyle without sacrificing life! Make this your priority starting with the next couple of weeks, stay focused on consistent action and remember how you want to feel!

It’s time to feel good, in an enjoyable way! Each week the focus builds on the last week! And don’t forget to tag me on social or within the Simply Well Society! Let’s rock this!

Week 1 | Drinks: Water

What you drink is a perfect place to start when it comes to cleaning up the way you feel! Started drinking too much alcohol at night as a habit? Daily sodas or sugary coffees snuck into your day? Over caffeinated and under-hydrated? Don’t worry, you aren’t alone! 

What you drink matters! When alcohol and other sugary drinks have taken the place of water – this is the time to reset! Hydration not only helps with energy, supports weight loss, keeps your body functioning properly but also helps the liver and other detox pathways in our bodies – important if you want to feel your best!

Start by drinking a minimum of 80 ounces a day (~5 standard water bottles) up to a gallon (128 ounces or 7.5 standard bottles). This is your first weekly challenge! Keep in mind, hydration needs will vary depending on age, sex, where you live, physical activity, etc. so be sure to adjust according to you yet challenge yourself to do this daily!

Hydration Tips:

• Use a bigger water bottle to prevent sips and actually drink
• Drink first thing after you wake up and set goals around the day of how much water you want to drink
• Add in done-for-you electrolytes: from 40,000 volts to Amazing Grass there are lots of fun options!

DIY Electrolyte H20: 

• Per 16 oz of water:  add a pinch Himalayan sea salt +  squeeze of lemon juice (½ of a lemon)! Or other fruits, veggies, and herbs like mint and cucumber! This not only adds some electrolytes to keep you better hydrated but also enhances the way it tastes. Need an energy booster? Add up to 1 tsp of local raw honey as a bonus! 
• To save time – recommend making it in a big gallon jug, add the juice of 3-4 lemons, up to ¼ tsp of sea salt (depending on the exercise) + optional flavoring (like Stur)!

Week 2 | Foods: Single ingredients

Eat more single ingredient foods! One of the quickest ways to simplify your nutrition in a world where you don’t have a lot of time is to choose more single-ingredient foods. So what are they? Single-ingredient foods are whole, real foods – that’s it! Think fruits, vegetables, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, etc.

These foods support exactly how you want to feel while keeping that digestion regular, bloat down, and energy up! Plus, these whole foods are much more filling than their processed food counterparts that tend to leave you craving for more which can lead to overeating. With these simple, whole options –  you’ll find yourself being able to eat more while staying full longer – which is a bonus!

Starting this week, focus on making all your snacks single ingredient-based!

Here are a few examples to  get you started

• Dried fruit + nuts
• Turkey wrapped apple slices
• Dates stuffed with peanut butter (made only from peanuts!)
• Bell pepper slices + hard cheddar stick
• Cucumber sandwich with hummus between two slices of cucumber

Think portable, easy, and ideally – more single ingredient foods!

Time-saving tips?

• Cut and wash some of these ahead of time so you can use them when you are ready
• Store in clear containers – the easier you see the more you eat
• Plan just 1-2 in per day to enjoy throughout the week! Keeps you focused and more simple to do!

Week 3 | Plate It: Protein + Color 

For each plate, you make, be sure to add enough protein and a color element! This not only is more simple to follow but allows you to create endless combinations of meal foundations that will keep you full, curb cravings to stop the “snacking through a meal,” supports building lean muscle and metabolism-boosting. As another bonus, it is essential to helping clear + elimination within the liver – important to break through plateaus and feeling better! 

Starting this week, for each meal you make, add a palm size of protein and a fist-size color element (veggies and fruits)!

What counts as a protein?

• Animal sources like lean cuts of meat (-loin, round roast, etc.), poultry, fish, seafood, eggs etc.
• Plant sources like beans, lentils, peas, tofu, tempeh, seitan, and more

What counts as color?

• Fresh or frozen fruits and veggies! The more color the better but go for at least one color on the plate!

Week 4 | Movement: Simplicity in Steps

Be more active in your everyday life! Before you start any training program or even if you already follow one, it’s time to break up the sitting time and start moving more!  Not only beneficial to feeling great (both on the inside and outside), but supports a good mood!

Starting this week, add more steps into your everyday routine. Aim to hit 8,000-10,000 steps per day! 

Simple ways to do this:

• Start your day with a morning walk 
• Set a reminder every hour to move
• Take a phone call on the go and walk while you talk
• Start with breaking up simple walking breaks outside for meetings, mid-day breaks, or take a walking lunch
• Try 2-3 short bursts of walks a day to help get these steps in. Not only great for the body but good for the mind as a mental refresher.

Whose in on this fun Summer Tune-up?!  Make sure to join our wellness community and membership, The Simply Well Society, so you can meet everyone else in the community and get insider tips! And tag me on Instagram stories if you partake in the challenge!

And if you found this blog article helpful, I’d love if you could give it a pin below, please!

You wanna know the wildest (yet most simple) thing?

For someone to ask, “how are you” and for you to answer truthfully (and wholeheartedly) “absolutely amazing!” Not the ordinary, “I’m good” but to actually feel and answer “amazing!” Because the truth is, I’ve never felt more amazing in my life than I do now. It’s almost like having a veil revealed over your eyes where you can see and experience life in itself. To feel amazing in your body. To appreciate every day. To see the beauty in life itself with the smallest things like actually seeing the trees swaying and birds chirping. It is the wildest yet most amazing thing I’ve ever experienced and I’ve felt that more than ever in my life. And because most high performers, such as yourself, may say “I’m good” but collectively feel dissatisfaction from an unknown place that is feeding cycles of anxiety daily, the need to do more and achieve more – well it’s time we break that pattern and rewire the way we think, approach and be. It is my sole mission – to help you and others alike feel THAT type of alignment to actually live LIFE fully and truly experience happiness.

And this will be the perfect restart to just that ??

Spring Clean Your Life to Feel Amazing (and not just say that you’re good but mean it!):

1 |  Your Life: What works for me?

When’s the last time you were priority número uno? When asked, most people answered, “years!” Whether it’s because you are balancing a skyrocketing career, scaling business, taking care of your family – there is one theme here. You always come second (or third, fourth down the line…) and let’s be honest, that can only last so long until you reach a screeching halt from multiple melt-downs induced by stress or anxiety. 

So instead of doing the same thing, same routine, same days like they are on repeat. Be open to see what is being forced vs what works for you by asking yourself this:

At the end of the day write down and answer, “What worked well for me today?”

Begin taking note of this and this is where realignment begins. When you have this list of what worked for you, pick one and start adding that in while you eliminate something that is forced. This is what I call a 1:1 alignment exchange.

2 |  Your “Off-time:” Do you even have it?

Do you ever feel like you have to be “on” all the time? For many years, I felt that same way. From a high performer standpoint, the natural pull to “keep up” makes you feel like you have to be on all the time, but there’s a truth for it. Sometimes what you really need is to be “off.” To learn how to relax so when you are “on,” you are on 100%, fully energized with more focus and space for creativity than ever rather than working on fumes. This in turn, provides a positive feedback loop to all those that you take care of or things you help with.

Whether you are working from home (#WFHLIFE), bring your computer home to work or are scaling your business from home – it’s important to set in off-time. It’s no wonder why we feel like we have to be “on” all the time when you are trying to juggle so much all at once and find yourself bouncing back and forth between different tasks like this. So instead, time block “off-time” for you and give yourself permission for that. Whether it’s in the morning, after work or in the later evening, this downtime is needed to feel good.

Most often, when we are trying to feel good, we first focus on  tangible aspects that we all hear of such as “workout time,” your sleep schedule, taking a lunch break and although important, downtime is often overlooked because some may perceive it as “not as important” or even lazy. So learn how to relax by deliberately planning in off time. Set on the schedule or set in your mind mentally. This will do wonders for the way you’ll feel. What does downtime or being “off”  look like to you?

3 | Your Sleep: Are you counting sheeps or the hours until you have to officially get up?

“I’m soooo tired.” Did you say that as the first thing when you woke up this morning?

What if you were that person who woke up feeling energized, excited and alive for the day? This isn’t the energy you can “fake it til you make it” type. This energy comes from within and it’s hard to contain because it’s that present! The truth is that can be you but it takes intentional action to better your sleep. And it starts with getting to know how this is linked to the circadian rhythm. 

The circadian rhythm is a continuous internal process within us that helps with sleep and wakefulness. Or better known as your 24-hour body clock. This body clock is connected to hormones like melatonin and cortisol. Ironically, these same hormones are largely influenced by chronic stress that many of us experience as high performers with jammed packed schedules that can include late night working habits and poor sleeping habits. These poor habits lead to changes in cortisol surges that keep you up when you should be sleeping and sleepy during prominent work hours like 1-3pm. 

So take a step back and reset your internal clock starting here:

• Commit to a consistent bedtime just 30 min earlier than you have been going to sleep to begin. Each week knock it back 30 min until you are in your ideal sleep time
• When you wake up, expose yourself to natural light as much as possible and step outside! No matter the weather – go do this!
• Create what I call a “power hour” before bed to wind down the mind, avoid exposure to blue light / screens and promote a restful sleep 

If you want to not only feel well rested, energized but all around physically healthy – focusing on healthy sleeping habits is key. And that project of yours that you are working on until the wee hours of the night? Yea it can wait until the next day. You’ll find that productivity and efficiency you want to be much higher the next day…

Cool gadgets to try? Red light therapy before bed, bucky sleeping eye mask during sleep, & Philips SmartSleep Sunrise and Sunset Simulation Alarm Clock to use to help you gently wake!

4 | Your Schedule: Is that a dumpster fire?

It’s no wonder you are up until 3AM working late, always thinking about work, feeling behind, and waking up early feeling unrested, tired and tired of being tired. That’s a recipe for disaster and it starts with taking a look at your schedule and cleaning it up and clearing it out! High performers wear different hats at all times so it’s important to organize, focus your time and understand what works best for you.

If you work from home or create your own schedule, outline boundaries with clear start and stop times. Yes this might sound obvious, but actually verbalizing what these are and then making sure these are communicated with your clients and team is essential. (HINT HINT)  By “being on all the time” or being “available 24/7” is training the people and clientele you work that you are always available and that’s just not the case. 

Being “available” 24/7 only creates work life imbalance, a cycle of self guilt that your clients or team will think that you are slacking on a project if you don’t respond right away, unspoken expectations that you are always available and then you may be finding yourself always dodging between one task to another and your schedule begins to look like a chaotic mess of unproductive time that leaves you in meltdowns. 

So start with outlining boundaries, communicate them and take a self dive into your personal beliefs by looking at boundaries as a form of self respect, self love and self priority. Do you believe you are worth it? I do, now do you?

5 | Your Screen Time: It’s like shots have been fired from social media…

Lately, have you been feeling  triggered by anyone’s posts? Or constant scroll leaving you feeling crappy? As much as social media can be inspiring, it can be equally triggering.

So let’s make a few things known before diving in. You have a life outside of social media, outside of work and outside of worrying what others are doing. Create the space you need from social media by taking these 5 steps.

• First analyze what is triggering you and then why you are feeling triggered. Take note of that. Then trash whatever leaves you feeling bad, mute them or unfollow altogether.
• Turn off your notifications. This in itself is a trigger. You are triggered and distracted everytime you see a notification pop up on your cell phone or desktop. Every distraction leads to less productive time and therefore less effective time to use your time towards what you want. Rather than social media dictating where your time goes. This also helps prevent the urge to answer back right away but do it when you schedule that time to.
• Turn on screen time app limits. If you have not yet – do so now! Much of living is spent outside of screen time so give yourself that reminder when you have hit your limit. 
• Move your phone away. During projects or time blocks, simply moving your phone away will create a barrier so you are less inclined to pop on mindlessly.
• Social detox. Start with a day, then a weekend and then a week. Plan to schedule in this social detox week once every quarter. Watch at how much you’ll get done, how your focus feels renewed and creativity spikes. This is the space for nurturing yourself so you can give back to you and to others fully energized and refreshed.

What’s a social detox or limit you can put in place? What has helped in the past?

6 | Your Liquids: It’s 5PM somewhere, right?

1 part COVID pandemic times

1 part work from home

1 part wear “all the hats” and juggle “all the things”

1 part “when’s the last time I got dressed?”

1 part “oh I forgot to drink (or eat) today…”

…is the recipe for a Burnt Out, Work From Home Juggler. Sound like you? (hint: you aren’t alone! Many others are feeling this way, too)

With COVID times, it is far too easy to let more alcoholic (or caffeinated) drinks slip in than you had before. One drink turns to a bottle of wine and soon enough you are having multiple bottles (or sugary coffees) each week which can be a disaster on how you are feeling, on your waistline and leave your internal organs dying of thirst (metaphorically speaking of course…).

This is a great starting place when it comes to making change, starting with your liquids! Replace 1 alcoholic drink or caffeinated drink for 1 glass of water or herbal tea. That’s all! This starts the process of being aware of what has become a habit versus what actually helps you feel better.

7 |  Your Foods: Is it helping or hindering how you feel?

For one moment, stop and pause. Think about what you ate in the last 24 hours. (This in itself might be a big task) In this fast paced lifestyle, it’s often filled with 1 of 2 things. One, either forgetting to eat until you can’t ignore hunger signs any longer. Or two, grabbing something quick or getting delivery in from UberEats, PostMates, you name it with something that gives comfort with a side of heartburn + heavy stomach. 

Yeah, neither of those situations sound like they are helping at all. So rather than doing a full “diet overhaul” in what you are eating, start looking at adding in more foods that help you feel your best. But do it in one simple way. 

Add in one fruit or vegetables you actually enjoy into your day! Then plan when that will be so you can start being more intentional with what you eat.

Last step, start asking yourself, Is this helping me or hindering me every time you go to eat.This opens the lines of curiosity, self awareness and intentional action with yourself to start paying attention to what you eat and how this itself can directly change how you feel! 

This is the power of nutrition.

8 | Your Activity: Ummm so about that…

Are you going through the motions just to “get it done?” Find your mind trailing off during a workout where you are mindlessly following but physically present? Or you’ve just told yourself, “I don’t have time” and haven’t exercised, worked out or moved in ways that you know you’ll feel better after? 

Lack of movement or mindless movement is directly correlated with how you feel! As one of my good entrepreneurial friends once shared, “motion = emotion.” So if you want to feel good, get in the habit of moving and moving in a way that feels food rather than forcing yourself to do things you hate or something you previously thought you didn’t have time for.

Quick go-to movement recipes any high performer can add in to their routine:

• Desk yoga on a break with a 10 minute walk
• 2- 10 or 20 minute walks or walking meetings
• Short 2-3 round of bodyweight workout (push up, jumping jacks, planks, burpee, lunges) with any modifications 

Look at how you have been looking at workouts or movement. Start to view it from the perspective of motion = feel good emotion and schedule this in.

9 | Your Mindset: Who’s your inner roommate? Let’s meet.

Everyone has self talk. This self-talk comes from our own core beliefs, thoughts and associations we’ve developed over the years. And as nice as that can sound, this inner roommate can feel like a b*tch and be one of our biggest critics. The best thing? We can rewire, reprogram and install new beliefs and thoughts that dictate our reality and the actions to follow.

But before we can get there, become self aware of some of your most triggering thoughts that can bring on moments of anxiety or stress. But where do you start? Just take note of when you feel the most stressed and anxious and see what self-talk is happening.

Are you using words like bad vs good, should vs have to vs need to vs want to? Just write down this thought. Then see how you can reframe this very thought from a new perspective. What would you tell your client? Your friend? Your family member if they said that thought? Challenge it. Then repeat that new thought back, write it down, and post it somewhere you’ll see daily to make that nagging anxiety or stress to start going away.

It’s amazing what power our mindset has in how we feel, what we do or don’t do and the very actions we take. Your success starts here and is where health and happiness meet.

10 | Your Habits: Slowing you down or pushing you forward? 

This was a game changer for me. There are a lot of ways to go about reforming and looking at your habits, but as a high performer, it’s important to look at what’s working and eliminate the rest.

At the end of the week, do a quick recap and jot this down in your planner or electronic note:

What did you learn this week?

What will you keep, improve, start and stop doing?

What worked well? What didn’t?

This is a quick way in real-time to measure your habits so you can make weekly adjustments without overhauling your whole schedule or routine each week. One planner I recommend is the @Stil planner for each quarter or @clickup for an electronic system!

Welcome to the “wellthy” lifestyle, where your success flourishes because your health and happiness wasn’t sacrificed but came together!

What do you want to know about next?

So, 2022 has come in like a flash. From a not-so-typical year to another, there is one thing that rings true: the importance of needing to start taking care of yourself and get healthier, starting today.

The truth to this all is: no matter if you are an entrepreneur, an ambitious professional who is now finding themselves in a new situation working from home or the hardworking “juggler” who is trying to manage your 9-5 or a late night shift and life all at the same time – wellness is at the foundation to everything you do, how you feel and the efforts you put out every day. If you don’t have your health and well-being, everything else is impacted.

So it’s time you start looking at your wellness from an honest, 360 degree perspective if you are trying to get healthier.

And it starts now: ??

1 | Have a big enough reason

“I want to lose the 10-20 pounds I’ve gained throughout COVID!”

A common goal you may have fall succumb to this New year. Does it sound familiar?

This is one goal, like many others such as “I want to be healthier, etc.” that sound good, but just miss the mark and here’s why.

Whether you lay out a strong, clear goal or a ‘foggy one’ like the latter, I want you to ask yourself, “are they strong enough reasons why that will help push me even when my motivation is low?”

The truth of it is that when you start focusing on getting healthier, your motivation can be at an all time high. You can be clearly set on your goal(s) ahead and hit the ground running. But motivation comes and goes. Losing weight doesn’t seem to matter as much on long hard days when your motivation is tested and in the end, you may decide, “eh, I’ll start over Monday.” Then the cycle starts over again, you gain more weight, leave yourself frustrated and then pick up motivation to start again.

Having a strong enough reason why is absolutely essentially. Although weight loss may be super beneficial to your health or your focus can sound amazing like “I want to get healthier,” it needs to be so strong that you would run into a burning house for.

Here’s how to start: when you find yourself laying out a goal, just simply ask yourself 3 questions:

“Why is this my goal?”

“How will this impact my life”

“What about this goal would make all my effort worth it?”

You’ll be shocked at what you find. And that is your actual reason why and the goal to focus on.

Ready to try this out? Share with me one of your goals in the comments and let’s explore it.

2 | Make the most of your circumstances rather than circumstances making you.

In the past year, have you found yourself saying:

“I’m too busy to eat healthier right now…”

“I am trying to keep my sh*t together and I can’t commit to anything right now…”

“I never know what my schedule is going to be so I can’t make any changes…”

“Getting healthier is too overwhelming and time consuming…”

“I’ll focus on my health when I have the time…”

If you said yes to any of these or another variation, keep reading.

In the past year, there has been a lot that has felt out of our control and in the way it is but not all of it. What we eat, how we choose to take care of ourselves, where we spend any extra time or money on – is within our control.

The reality check ?? what feels like harmless statements have been the very excuse that has been holding you back. Take this as your reality check to longer let life happen to you. Instead, make the most of your circumstances and choose what area you are going to start taking control back.

Ideas to start:

– Find yourself home more? Pick up a new healthy hobby that makes you happy

– Can’t to go to the gym? Use many of the free online apps, take part of online classes, create your own workouts

– Want to eat healthier? Look at what you are eating and see what area needs most attention and then focus on that area first.

– Find yourself feeling awful after looking at social media or watching the news? Detox from it or limit your time with screen time limitations.

Don’t let excuses and circumstances define you any longer. Take control back today.

What one of these areas can you begin so you can start making the most of your circumstances?

3 | Busyness is your enemy, intentionality is your antidote

Trigger alert. It’s about to be a doozy.

Let’s talk about the reality of being “busy.” We have all said from one time to at least a dozen times in one given week, how “busy” we are. Whether that’s true with actual work that is effectively moving you towards your goal or just keeping you busy, here’s some food for thought.

While I was reading the #4HourWorkWeek over the holidays, this one statement stood out to me: “Being busy is most often used as a guise for avoiding the few critically important but uncomfortable actions.”

Think about it. There are infinite options to keep you busy that we tell ourselves “are important.” But let’s be clear. Busy does not mean important, is effective or productive. Keeping busy is often used to avoid doing what truly needs attention and can be uncomfortable to do, especially when it comes to health and pushing you out of what’s comfortable.

Being “too busy” or “not having enough time” to focus on getting healthier is one of the top excuses I have heard out there.

So instead of falling in that trap, take a step back and go through this process.

1) Where are you spending your time? Just quickly jot down what you are doing. (morning, afternoon, evening, weekdays, weekends)

2) What can be eliminated or lessened?

3) What are 1-3 ways you can intentionally choose to spend time that supports you getting healthier?

Still feel like you don’t have the time to do this process above? Instead of saying “I am too busy for this,” say, “I am not making it a priority.”

This is your reality check. Lead with intentional action to move you closer to getting healthier, without “busyness” being the excuse that stops you.

When has busyness gotten in the way of you taking care of yourself and in your journey of getting healthier?

4 | Don’t overcomplicate, simplify

Overwhelming, overcomplicated and time consuming. Just a few strong words of what other describe “getting healthier” feels like to them. But it doesn’t have to be that way!

Simplification is one of my mottos in every aspect when it comes to your 360 degree wellness, starting with your nutrition.

In my Simply Wellness System private coaching, I breakdown how to build healthy meals in literally minutes to save you time, energy and ‘know how’ but in the meantime I’ll give you some of my favorite meal building formulas.

1️⃣ Choose a high quality protein:

Grass fed meat, organic tofu or tempeh and even cold water fatty fish like salmon or seafood like shrimp will do the job.

2️⃣ Add a fiber as your friend:

Fruits & veggies – all kinds on the table! You can also add options like ground flaxseed or hempseed too!

3️⃣ Boost your energy by adding a high fiber carb:

Whole wheat, barley, couscous or gluten free options like brown or black rice, quinoa, buckwheat or oats.

Looking at your meal as a simple formula can be a super time saver to building meals in minutes and allow you to get out of the headspace thinking you have to be eating another salad, smoothie or need to order out your lunch (even though you work from home) to save time, even when trying to get healthier.

This is healthier done simple. When it comes to get healthier, what needs some simplifying for you?

5 | Variety is king

So you’ve started eating healthier, what’s next?

No matter what level you are at when it comes to your nutrition – a beginner to an advanced mastery level, there’s one thing that you want to do for sure…

Prevent boredom.

Eating the same thing on rotation may have worked in the beginning, but you may find yourself asking, “what else is there?” Whether you are ordering out from Hello Fresh the same meals or making the same bro-style diet menu with broccoli, chicken and rice on rotation, things have got to change.

Variety is king. So what’s that mean? Intentionally choosing a variety of foods will be key for the sustainability aspect of eating healthier. You can only go so long eating the same things (and you’re family told me the same).

So I’ve put together a quick “how-to” guide on including variety in your nutrition for different healthy eater levels:

– The beginner: start with choosing 1 new food per week to explore. Have a family? Choose it together at the store and get the kids involved in making it so they have buy-in.

– The intermediate: work with the seasonal variations of foods for winter, spring, fall and summer local to your area. Explore what’s in season and start swapping some of your staples for those seasonal items. Create a rotating menu from there.

– The advanced: take it to the next level by diving deeper into what variety your body needs based on cycles. For women, dive not only into the specifics of what is appropriate for what week of the cycle your in but also why and explore more of those foods that fall into the why category to expand your options.

– The mastery: apply not only the seasonal + cycle aspects of your variation, but now take it to the next level with bioavailability variations to get the most out of your nutrition at the right time for your body.

What level do you fall on?

P.S. Still need a little help? Pick one of these to start and book a chat with me on a power wellness consult where we can simplify a strategy right for you.

6 | Restoration tool or lazy excuse?

What do sex, exercise and sleep have in common? You’ll find out!

In a time that forced everyone to slow down from the typical “go go go” lifestyle that has had you in “flight or fight” mode running on pure adrenaline, you may have noticed one thing.

The need to slow down, for rest and restoration.

*which can be really really hard to do* as I speak to that personally…

When it comes to 360 degree wellness, our physical pillar of wellness includes elements like: healthy libido + sex life, nourishing exercise and restful sleep + sleep routines.

Out of those three elements alone, which needs the most tending to?

If it’s sex: take the time to acknowledge if you and your partner are like “passing ships” and time has gotten in the way. If that’s the case, make deliberate time for it and challenge yourself to an “O” challenge (yes, ask my clients I have given them challenges like this).

If it’s nourishing exercise: stop and take a moment to see what you’re doing not only aligns with your goals but also what you need? If you need more rest + yoga because its your menstruation week, then do it. If you know you need to build more strength, focus on weight lifting or strength amplifying exercises. If it’s taking it a little easier because your recovery time is prolonged, give yourself rest or an active movement day.

If it’s restful sleep + sleep routine: how is what you are doing now impacting your sleep? Whatever that first thing you answered, focus on that first step to bettering sleep.

Because when it comes to physical restoration, you need this trifecta of sex, exercise and sleep to restore the body. Rest and nourishing yourself this way is not lazy or something you don’t have the time for. It is essential.

What trifecta area will you focus on?

7 | Healthify your home

When’s the last time you’ve taken a look in your pantry or fridge and done a massive clean out?

Did you know that simply by having what you need easily accessible makes getting healthier 10x easier? If not, now you do!

Many times, you’ll find yourself pushing foods around the same foods or just looking and saying, “we don’t have anything…” or binging on the leftover junk food from the holidays before anyone else gets to it, leaving you with the not-so-wanted left over foods options.

So here’s a quick list of labels or identifiers to leave behind in 2020 and healthify your environment:

Leave behind:

• Diet
• Sugar free
• Carb free
• Fake products made up of things you don’t understand labeled “vegan” or “keto”
• Enriched

Bring with:

• Organic – USDA certified
• Grass-fed
• No sugar added
• Whole grain
• Easy to read ingredient foods

By taking this step of healthifying your home, you’ll thank yourself all year long.

Have questions? Drop them in the comments.

8 | To drink or not to drink

Did you drink enough water today?

Whatever you naturally answered to yourself (Yes…uh no….I don’t think so), add drinking more water to the top of your list.

It’s one of the “low hanging fruits” that most people struggle with day-in and day-out. Water plays infinite roles within the body that should quickly get your attention: your energy + how you feel at the 3pm slump, your (lack of) pooping and continued full feeling, cotton mouth and stringy saliva that plays a role in digestion…plus so much more.

So stop and start paying attention to what you drink. First and foremost, water is the best thing you can drink (along with high quality electrolytes) when trying to get healthier. Here’s how:

1. Drink water. Most simple form 😉

2. Use a competitive edge with yourself or others: what’s your goal? Track it and go after it with a notched bottle like camelback or a habit tracker.

3. Use bigger and reusable bottles like either of my Hydroflask or Yeti. Bigger bottles cause you to drink rather than take sips.

Bonus: flavor it up with non-artificially sweet options.

What helps you drink more water?

9 | Perfect time to build simple habits

Do you struggle with keeping up your healthy habits? If you said “YES,” keep on reading!

The power of a habit is one of the most simple, yet overlooked aspects when it comes to getting healthier. Habits are the very thing that is ingrained in your everyday life, regardless if you like it or not. You do them daily, most of the time without even thinking or realizing it.

Habits are the foundation to build success, wealth, connections, health and deep transformations from the inside out starting with our mindset to the actions we do daily.

If you are going to get healthier, start looking at your habits as the stepping stones for your routine which are the map for your goals! (Mind twist, I know!)

Try this Simply Wellness habits assessment to start:

– On day 1, try to write a list of as many habits that you notice. What are you doing automatically? What feels good? What feels forced? What’s lacking? Dump your insights in a list.

– On day 2, take this list and create two columns. Column 1: what you like. Column 2: what needs attention which can be anything you don’t like, what feels forced or what’s lacking.

Now that you know what needs to stay vs what goes, you can start honing in on just ONE habit you will focus on moving forward. From there, we can break this down into the most simple steps, where you don’t even have to think about it.

What’s your “Set It and Forget It” Habit you’re going to focus on? ?

P.S. Want to develop sustainable habits? We dive right into this in the Ultimate Wellness Kickstarter. Available in resources now!

10 | Know what you want – ultimately.

Have you fallen in either of these traps that keep you from getting healthier?

1) “When I make X dollars, then I will do what I want and focus on taking care of myself and get healthier…”

2) “When I do X, then I will get healthier and do what I want.”

This framework has done more harm than helped you and here’s why. ??

If you don’t know what you want and how the vague phrase of ‘getting healthier” actually helps you in a way that makes all our effort worth it… then this is what happens.

You’ll keep changing the ‘X’ to avoid the latter of getting healthier and “doing what you want” because that invites fear of failure, fear of success and fear of uncertainty for the future. Don’t let these fears be the thing that hold you back.

Instead define what you want and what would excite you that would make your effort all worthwhile!

What is that thing? This is your ultimate push to getting healthier. Share with me in the comments.

If you are trying to get healthier for 2022, head on over to the Simply Well Society now and get started immediately. Your healthier future you awaits…

xx Sammy

Here’s the real deal when it comes to the holidays and why finding balance can feel so hard (spoiler alert: it doesn’t have to be this way anymore!). There can be endless parties, get-togethers and out of norm routines starting from Halloween through Superbowl. From trying to use willpower and resist the parade of foods like pies, eggnog, candy and creamy savory favorites to feelings of anxiety and stress around social situations like navigating family conversations around meals, steering clear of food “pushing” and mindlessly eating because #heyitstheholidays and you find yourself stuck. Lost in the chaos, shopping and trying not to throw all your goals (plus the way you feel and all efforts you’ve made this year) by the wayside, New Years arrives with the same resolutions. OY!

Say goodbye to the dilemma of how can I “treat myself” without binging, feeling guilt or completely derailing yourself from your goals. Here’s 5 kickstart ways to find balance through the holidays (and why it can be easy for you, too):

#1 Mindset Hack: HoliDAYS

On average, the holidays makeup anywhere between 2-4 days at the end of the year. Although holidays are celebrated as a season, the actual holidays are single days alone. Enjoy those “days” fully without approaching foods as “restricted” and instead practice moderation and balance with all foods fit mentality throughout the entire season. This will not only support healthier habits that will stick through the New Year but also allow full enjoyment of holiday favorites – free of guilt.

#2 Sensory Hack: Experience

As humans, we have 5 basic senses: touch, sight, smell, taste and hearing. When we utilize these senses, we get a full experience while we eat. This leads to greater satisfaction and enjoyment from your food and a higher level of fullness or satiation where hunger subsides and cravings are quenched. Chew slow, put your fork down between bites and use your senses one at a time to experience the food working through each of your senses.

#3 Routine Hack: Grounding Essentials

In a time where everything can feel out of the regular programming, ground yourself with a foundational routine you can carry through the holiday season. The key here is to keep it simple. By carrying over the essential bits of your routine, it will help ground you when schedules, routines and ways of living may be temporarily changing around you. Pick 3-5 basic essentials that help make your day work or run smooth! It can be as simple as getting sun, meditating for 5 minutes, morning movement – whatever it is, make it sacred to you and consistent as this is a means of celebrating yourself and taking care of you through it all.

#4 Plate Hack: The 50/50 

Nothing is worse than having to turn down your favorite family dish. So why do that? When you approach your plate with balance, this gives your mind the permission to enjoy – free of restriction, guilt and foods you may have otherwise labeled as “can’t haves” while still eating healthfully and happily! Make the first 50% of your plate fiber rich, colorful, nutrient rich options! And make the other 50% your holiday favorites. Not only will you fill up more on the nutrient dense foods by placing first on your plate, but still get to enjoy your grandma’s stuffing, too! Or is that just me? 

#5 Swap Hack: Abundancy Rules

What if you approached your holidays with an abundance mindset rather than a restrictive one? You’ll notice an increase in happiness, eating with balance, living and acting with intention. That’s what this principle is all about. When it comes to holiday parties, homemade dishes or even drinks – instead of focusing on what you “can’t have” look at what you can swap in! It might be a single ingredient or a food you want to focus on eating more of, but when you approach it with swapping IN rather than OUT, this is a game changer.

When it comes to living happier, healthfully and authentically to what makes us feel our best, it comes down to simple habits, approaches and actions we can take daily. Welcome to the Simply Wellness way of living. Ready for more wellness hacks, simple approaches, quick easy meals and more? Jump right into the Wellness Resource Vault or grab and save for later – a growing free resource vault available at the tips of your fingers anytime! 

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