It’s Really Simple

I recently had a conversation with an old friend about how one of my main philosophies about health and wellness is that it is, and needs to be, inherently very simple. For the last decade this has been the case and more I see the health and wellness industry capitalizing on two seemingly opposing things that may be weirdly connected, or designed to make us feel like things are just out of reach and if we spend a little more, follow a little more, work out a little more, we’ll get there. Number one is convenience, the dumbing things down and putting things in very fixed one size fits all boxes in order to avoid nuance and people actually becoming educated. Hello menstrual cycle education and programs that promise you you can heal your cycle in 28 days, online, with no 1:1 support. Not a fan. The other being complication. Making nutrition, SelfCare, diets, and exercise this multi leveled pyramid scheme that all seem to take a lot of money, time, and specific clothing and products to achieve.

I don’t agree with either of these things. That health is one size fits all, should be made convenient for the sake or marketing- maybe why I struggle with it- or overly complicated to get people to need you. It’s a balance between the reality that the human body is intricate and works in the realm of pure nuance. The female reproductive system even more so. So on one level the necessity to understand how the system works without trying to shave off the intricate edges for the sake of easy intake of information is real. And, once you grasp what is happening in the cycle or the digestive system or in the adrenals and hpa axis, the steps to taking care of that system are actually very simple and straight forward. These can be the hardest for people to apply to daily life.

If we are truly wanting to make health and wellness and SelfCare accessible for all people we have to look at these things. We have to look at how much of the industry is marketing wellness products that are insanely expensive, which right away removes that accessibility for the majority of people, and how much of it is marketing must have 5 or 12 part strategies for all the things.

I fully admit I like my nice things. I like creating an aesthetic in my life. After a month in Brazil I was legitimately missing my cotton waffle print towels. A bit embarrassing but truth. And I admit that aesthetic costs money. My taste out paces my income quite honestly. And. Those things aren’t necessary on the deep level for my health and well-being. I believe in buying organic food and local when possible which stupidly costs more, and there are solutions to incorporating more organic food into a way of eating on a tight budget. I believe in the benefits on non-toxic skin care. And honey is one of the best face washes and face masks, and doesn’t cost anywhere near what face wash from the admittedly lovely but very spendy boutique companies out there cost.

One of the main goals of my nutrition and women’s health work has always been wanting to teach someone how to do it for themselves. I want people to understand how to put a balanced nourishing meal together, how to accommodate their physical and emotional needs, and how to navigate the different phases of the menstrual cycle. Sometimes this approach literally reduces the amount of sessions someone needs with me. And setting someone up for success and confidence and the knowledge to take care of themselves is truly the whole point.

I know I just said there is no one size fits all, which is true, and there are things that are generally good for everyone, like not being an asshole and drinking enough water. I want to share some simple yet highly effective things that benefit almost everyone regardless of your individual constitution, and will only help with whatever you have going on in your health.

Not in order of importance but these are my favs

-Stay hydrated. There are a few markers for how much water to drink. Some say 8-10 10 oz glasses a day. Another marker is take your body weight in pounds, divide that number by 2, and convert it to ounces. So if I weight about 155-160 pounds- I have no idea how much I weigh, I don’t own a scale- I would need to drink about 75 to 80 ounces of water a day. And adding 20 ounces for every hour of exercise. I recommend filling a half gallon mason jar and leaving it on your counter and making it the goal to get through at least one if not two per day. Hydration maintains healthy blood pressure, cellular health, skin health, elimination, and inner lubrication.

-Go to bed by 10 pm. This means lights out falling asleep. Because of the natural cortisol rhythms in the body the sleep we get before midnight- when cortisol starts its slow rise- is more restful that sleep that comes after. We want to be in deep sleep by that time. Going to sleep by 10 pm is the number one necessity for adrenal health and regulation and. is crucial for hormone balance in both men and women. If clients are attached to or accustomed to staying up late, which many people are, I recommend moving that needle back by 30 minute increments.

-Add one or two extra veggies into your meals. This can look like adding a carrot or cucumber or radishes or purple cabbage to your existing salad. This can look like adding fresh spinach or arugula or sauteed zucchini to your pasta. This can look like snacking on celery with almond butter, or carrots and hummus, or adding spinach to your smoothie.

-Eat fresh fruit when it’s in season. Fresh fruit as snacks in the summer is heaven and health and hydrating.

-Eat regular meals. Blood sugar balance is one of the most vital pieces of all health. For our hormones, our mood, our metabolism, mental health, digestive health, literally everything. It’s also the number one thing that you need to stabilize and focus on with PCOS. Regular means at least every 3 to 4 hours depending on the individual. In my Ayurveda training we were on a strict 5 hours between meals, no snacks, and I’d say for most people that is the limit. I don’t operate that way in my life or practice. A snack is not the end of the world. It can be necessary. And even if it’s not, there are a lot more important things to worry about. Especially with kids, we should not be restricting them with food. If your kiddo wants a snack please give them one, preferably something whole and yummy.

-Swap out dairy yogurt for coconut yogurt and dairy ice cream for a coconut based one. I love the coconut ice cream previously knows as Coconut Bliss renamed Galactic Bliss. It’s sweetened with coconut sugar. If you have digestive issues or menstrual or hormonal ones, this is a big one.

-Exchange cane sugar for natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar, or stevia. Game changer for mood, digestion, and hormones.

-Establish a daily practice that is connective, you to yourself and you to whatever spiritual energy you feel or connect to. I love meditation & prayer. Connect to your breath, how you feel, and to your God, whatever whomever.

-Have people in your life. Who get you, who you can be your true true weird vulnerable self with. Literally life saving.

-Get outside and preferably into Nature regularly. Fresh air, trees, water, sky. Whatever Nature you can get to I highly recommend at least a few times per week. This helps us clear our minds, emotions, and energy fields like nothing else. It harmonizes our vibration with that of Nature which is the vibration of pure health and happiness.

-Find an exercise or movement that you actually enjoy. Moving our body is so important. For our health on all levels. And I don’t believe, and am basically incapable of doing a form of it that I loathe. Do not go to the gym if you dread and hate it. Go walk, go hike, do pushups in the park, swim laps, ride bikes, do Yoga or pilates or zumba. Literally whatever gets you moving and enjoying moving your body.

Love you,

Zara