Tag: Wellness

De-stress With These Mini Self Massage Techniques + A DIY Warming Massage Oil Recipe

Giving yourself a massage might seems as futile as trying to tickle yourself, but believe me when I say that not only is it possible, sometimes it’s absolutely necessary. You’ll be surprised at how effective these techniques are in reducing stress and promoting your overall sense of wellness. Add the oil blend below and you’re well on your way to a happy ending… I couldn’t resist.

Self Massage Techniques

Neck/Shoulders

Relax your shoulders down away from your ears. Slowly tuck your chin in toward your chest to stretch the back of your neck. Place your fingertips on the back of your neck where your shoulders meet your neck. Apply pressure and hold for a few breaths. Release. Roll your shoulders slowly in a circular motion. Repeat these steps as necessary.

Lower Back

So this one requires a tennis ball. Yeah, I totally had to buy one too. I don’t know anyone who plays tennis and Serena wasn’t answering her phone so yeah. Anyway, place your brand new tennis ball on the floor, or in the space between your back and a wall. Move your body slowly so that the tennis ball massages any tension in your lower back. Avoid rolling the ball along your spine. in applying pressure, try to find a balance that’s right for you so that you don’t further aggravate soreness.

Lower Leg

Using the heels of your palm, knead along both sides of your calf in small circles. Work your way up your calf slowly from the ankle until you reach the knee, flexing and pointing your toes as you go. Again, starting at the ankle, drag the heels of your palms along either side of your calf until you reach the knee. Repeat these steps to alleviate lower leg pain caused by rocking high heels, or yesterday’s spin class.

Feet

You can stick to the tried and true tennis ball rolling treatment, or you can grab some oil and give yourself a proper foot rub. Sit with your ankle resting on the opposite knee. Grasp each toe, one at a time, and rotate them clockwise and counterclockwise, Bend each toe backward and forward, and finally give each toe a gentle pull. After giving each little piggy some attention, use both hands to firmly grasp your foot on either side.  Wiggle your foot back and forth with your hands paying attention to ball of your foot and your arch.

Warming Massage Oil

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons sweet almond oil
  • 4 drops orange essential oil
  • 3 drops cedarwood essential oil
  • 2 drops ginger essential oil

Directions

  • Add all ingredients into an amber glass bottle.
  • Give it a little shake to blend the oils.
  • To use, add a few drops to the palm of your hand before practicing any of the massage techniques above.

Gut Health Beyond Food—3 Organic and Ethically Sourced Online Stores

Fun fact for the kids: William the Conqueror died September 9, 1087. A few weeks earlier during the Battle of Mantes, William, quite possibly already suffering from an impacted colon, was hurled against the pommel of his saddle, badly rupturing his internal organs. His condition worsened and he died of infection. Attempts to stuff his severely bloated corpse into a stone sarcophagus proved a fool’s errand as his putrefied intestines exploded, releasing a vile smell that sent vomiting mourners rushing for an exit… So yes, kids, you are going to sit right there at that table until you finish your kale.

Kale is totally good for your gut, there’s no denying that. But eating nutrient dense foods is only part of the gut health equation. In order to fully benefit from our efforts toward healthy lifestyles, we have to make sure that our environment isn’t putting the gut barrier under undue stress. The gut barrier (made up of the intestinal wall and gut microbes) is your body’s natural defense against toxins. The idea is simple: strengthen your gut barrier and hopefully you won’t go out like William the Conqueror.

Problem is, so many everyday products can throw off the balance of microbes in our digestive system, compromising our nutrient absorption, our immune system, and our overall wellness. Some of the culprits may surprise you. Commonly used antibacterial household cleansers, personal hygiene products, pet supplies, and even birth control pills and antacids, impact our environment causing a depletion of the good bacteria in our guts necessary for proper digestion and nutrient absorption. The good news is that you can protect yourself by swapping out everyday items with items from these gut-friendly, green living online stores.

The Ultimate Green Store

Natural, organic, recycled, eco-friendly goods- products that are made with your health and the health of our planet in mind. At the Ultimate Green Store you will find a wide range of high quality products in categories such as clothing, bedding, home goods, personal care, and even yoga mats.

Organic Surge

All those toxic ingredients in skin care products can punch you in the gut too. If you’ve already started your green skin care journey with all the DIY beauty recipes I share, you might want to add Organic Surge into the rotation. I’m really crushing on this line of skin care products I got as a gift. Truth: I’m using this more than any of my homemade products!

Our Green House

Let’s not forget how our fur babies for all their cuteness can introduce some yucky stuff into our lives. This store offers a curated collection of ethically sourced and natural products from fair trade artisans. You can find pet supplies, candles, and a pretty awesome line of household cleaning products.

My 6 Favorite Wellness YouTube Vloggers

Sometimes you haven’t gotten enough sleep. Sometimes you wake up totally unwilling to get out of bed. Sometimes you’re just not regular. Sometimes your appetite is out of whack. Sometimes you can’t concentrate. Sometimes you just need a little extra motivation. And sometimes you’re single on Valentine’s Day… again. Whatever the reason for your anxiety or stress, it’s real and it’s palpable. YouTube is such an amazing resource to help you get your groove back. Here are six of my all time favorite wellness vloggers on YouTube! Check them out and don’t forget to hit subscribe!

Sweet Potato Soul

Totally informative videos give you insight into what actually makes up a healthy vegan diet. We’re talking real food here, not mock meat and vegan Pringles (yeah. those exist).

Adriene Mishler

Adriene brings us fun yoga routines that focus more on self awareness and intention than contortion. Beginners will really appreciate her style of instruction.

Mama Tanya’s Kitchen

I absolutely love Mama Tanya! Her cooking show is hilarious and super fun. She’s sooooo New York and her recipes are healthy and nutritious. Just keep in mind that she’s not strictly vegetarian.

Madeleine Shaw

This channel has everything! Meditation, yoga, meal planning, beauty DIYs, plus her accent is super cute.

Holistic Habits

Sarah might seem a little out there, but her positive energy is so infectious you’ll just love her.

Naptural85

This is THE channel to subscribe to for homemade hair products. Step by step tutorials that will have your hair shiny and healthy without all of the harsh chemicals.

Wellness Rituals: 6 Must Have Palo Santo Items

When life hands you lemons, sometimes you really just want to squeeze them into other people’s eyes. But when life hands you Palo Santo, somehow everything just seems alright. I’ve been crushing on this scent for awhile now since I first got a whiff while browsing at Le Labo. Once you smell Palo Santo, you immediately notice that every calm and peaceful place in the city is crushing on this scent too. Palo Santo, or holy wood, has been used for centuries for everything from energy cleansing to respiratory ailments. The smoke is much lighter than sage and the wood itself is so fragrant that you don’t even have to burn it to reap the wellness benefits. Obviously, I just had to bring it home and I was stoked to see that there are so many products available that harness the power of this aromatic wood. Here are 6 must have Palo Santo items for you to bring home!

Morphologically Aromatherapy Roll-Ons

Clean beauty has never smelled this good. While you’re swapping out all of the toxic ingredients in your beauty routine, don’t forget to get your hands on your new favorite perfume. While you’re at it, shop the entire range of home goods from Morphologically’s Holy Wood Collection.

Anthropologie Palo Santo Incense Bundle

Each eco-friendly incense stick is harvested from naturally fallen branches from Ecuadorian Palo Santo trees!

Le Labo Fragrances Palo Santo 14

These calming candles will really set a purifying mood in your home. They’ve been the perfect addition to my ginger detox bath.

Monk Oil Palo Santo Skin Potion

Slather on this calming and  grounding skin potion that’s a unique blend of Palo Santo and Vetiver eseential oils. Oh and did I mention that each bottle contains a Smoky Quartz crystal? Hello, celestial healing!

Min New York Palo Santo Wood

Because one simply can’t have just one incense bundle.

Apotheke Candle

Because one simply can’t have just one candle.

Immunity Boosting Ginger Lemon Wellness Shot

I hold my breath when someone sneezes in an elevator until I’m able to make my escape. Knee jerk reaction, but seriously dude, you couldn’t hold that in for one more floor?! I’m washing my hands like crazy, cleaning door knobs, remote controls and appliances around my house with homemade antibacterial cleaners, just so dude can sneeze on me in an enclosed space. No way. This deadly flu I keep hearing about has me taking extra precautions. First off, I’m taking the stairs to avoid Mr. Sneezy McGee. As added insurance, I’ve been choking down this ginger lemon wellness shot every morning… and I do mean choking down. There’s no sugar coating this one. It’s a whole shot glass of rough. This is not something that you drink for the taste (though admittedly I’m starting to get used to it), but the benefits to your immune system are no joke. Here’s the boring bit about the ingredients and a couple of their health benefits.

Ginger

  • anti-inflammatory
  • natural antihistamine
  • natural expectorant

Lemon

  • balances pH
  • high in Vitamin C
  • helps keep you hydrated

Cayenne Pepper

  • anti-fungal properties
  • anti-bacterial properties
  • anti-allergen

Like I said before, this wellness shot is no joke. I wouldn’t call it tasty by any means, but be honest, you’ve probably taken shots that burn just as bad on the way down, without any of the health benefits. No judgment. All I’m saying is that you can do this and your immune system will appreciate the boost!

Ginger Lemon Wellness Shot

ingredients

  1. 1 inch of ginger, peeled and juiced
  2. ½ of a fresh lemon
  3. dash of cayenne pepper***

directions

  1. peel the ginger and run it through your juicer into a glass
  2. squeeze the juice from your lemon into the glass
  3. top with a dash of cayenne pepper and stir

***You can swap out lemons for limes and cayenne pepper for turmeric. Also, if you absolutely can’t do the whole concentrated wellness shot thing, try this homemade wellness tonic, or this wellness tea.

Source: Christina Greve