It’s totally normal to go through periods of being focused in on healthy living then having times of being less inspired. For a couple months now I’ve been more in line with the latter. It’s not that I fell of any wagon or anything, I just haven’t felt excited by focusing on my health like I usually am.

I’m sure a large part of it has to do with it being a really hard year. Since May-ish, I’ve gradually increased my creature comforts like creamer in my coffee when I usually drink it black, weekday wine, and more foods that just taste good and provide comfort. No big deal, of course. In fact, I think it’s healthy to allow ourselves some grace and creature comforts when life calls for it.

But if I’m being honest with myself, at more core, I am really interested in maximized living. I geek out over health tips that can help us feel our best and live longer, healthier lives. So I was excited that this week I got a taste of that old energy. And it felt so good!

I’m not sure exactly of the stimulus, but listening to this Wellness Mama podcast about viral risk and our immune systems and this Mark Hyman podcast with Dr. FrankLipman about aging well certainly contributed.

So here are the motions I’ve put in place this week to dial back in on health in a way that makes me feel my best.

I pulled out my juicer. My mom gifted me this Omega masticating juicer a couple years back. I often to use it to make morning wellness shots for David and me. I’ve used it periodically for celery juice or making lemonade for the kids. Juicing for usually takes a backseat in the summer when we are eating the plethora or fresh fruits and veggies available, but I always get more into it again when cooler weather rolls around. There is just something incredible about being able to pack so many nutrients into a single drink. 

This week’s green juice consisted of celery, a Granny Smith apple, cucumber, baby kale, parsley, lemon, ginger, and turmeric. I don’t measure exact amounts, but know that the apple, celery, and cucumber will create more volume. It makes a bottle’s worth and I typically drink half and save half for David.

Focusing on moving and resting my body. We still are rocking along with Madeline Moves’ Weekly Moves. You can read my full review of Madeline’s App and why we love it here. With the days starting to get shorter and colder, especially once the time changes on Sunday, I know this will take more concerted effort to make happen. I’m grateful David is into it as much as I am and that we have our crawlspace “gym” to use.

Just as important as moving our bodies is resting our bodies. Bedtime got a little all over the place for a little while (I’d blame TikTok, but laughing at short little videos has actually brought me a lot of joy and mental release during this time period).

Anyway, the girls are a little older now (9 and 6) and we homeschool so they can sleep in, so their bedtimes have gotten a little later, too. Typically they go to bed around 8:15/8:30 and while it’s tempting to stay up later ourselves, for the health of our mind and bodies, we enjoy another hour of time together but hit the hay around 9:45/10:00. Being that we are both up around 5:30 each day, it works for us and we feel so much better when we stick to it.

Vitamins and supplements. Over the years I’ve bounced back and forth on whether I think supplements are worth the money. The doctors I trust seem to say that some are, so I’ve gotten more consistent at taking Vitamin D3 everyday. I keep Vitamin C on hand but don’t take it regularly, same with my probiotic.

I do stay fully stocked up on Wellness Pills. These nutrient-packed Wellness Pills are incredible and I start taking them at the first sign of feeling run down. I can’t tell you how many times I believe they’ve saved me from some nasty colds and sicknesses. I just bought a new bottle for cold season and if you want to try them, I recommend you go ahead and do the same, because they will get hard to find again, like they did in March.

Checking off appointments. I’m not the best at staying up to date of regular doctor appointments. This week I went to the dermatologist and had two moles biopsied, which is not unusual for me given that we have melanoma in the family and I have a lot of moles. It was a good reminder to stay on top of these wellness type appointments. The dentist is next up for me. I won’t tell you how long it’s been for that one.

Trying out an infrared sauna blanket. I debated even including this because I haven’t gotten to try it yet, as it arrives today. However, I love infrared saunas. My parents have one and if we had a place to put it or planned on being here long term, I’d buy one, too. But we don’t and we aren’t, so I was really intrigued when I heard about the HigherDOSE Infrared Sauna Blanket. (Use code AHS for $75 off your purchase) Their team reached out to me after hearing me talk about my love for saunas and offered to send me a blanket to try. I said yes and will let you know how it goes after I use it for a while.

This sauna blanket offers far infrared rays (as opposed to full spectrum that saunas do ) which can increase circulation, promote detoxification, and promote relaxation and management of body aches. There are other health claims I’ve heard made about improved immunity among other things, but I’m not making any of these claims. I’m just excited to give it a try and add it into my routine a few times a week to see what I feel. At the very least, it will force me to sit still for a few minutes which has to be good for my mental health. 😉

Getting outside. Shorter and darker days means less sunshine to take advantage of. I’ve been going out on my porch every morning. It’s nothing major, but something about breathing fresh air and seeing the outside world gives me a better perspective from which to take on my day as opposed to my usual routine of heading straight into the office and computer. 

We are also doing a ton of school on the porch right now and plan to do so until it’s too bitter cold to hold a pencil. But even then I plan on bringing out blankets and setting up cozy shop for our read alouds. Fresh air does wonders for all our attitudes.

This swing has also increased our time spent outside ten fold!

Taking CBD. Questions about CBD? I answer them here. I’ve learned so much about quality and delivery systems.

I don’t take CBD daily, but when I do take it, I usually take it late afternoon/evening on days when I just feel on edge, overly emotional, or stressed. I generally take 20-30 mg. Yes, I can feel a physical difference. There is obviously no high (there is no THC in the products), but it takes the edge off for me and makes me feel more peaceful and relaxed. You can save 25% off any of their products by shopping through my referral link.

Cooking nutritious food. As with my health, my love of cooking goes through ups and downs as well. As we ease into cooler weather, making soups (like this vegetable beef recipe) is reigniting my joy for being in the kitchen. Inspired by the book Fiber Fueled, I also have been trying to vary my fruits and vegetables that I eat.

I was also inspired by Dr. Hyman’s recent podcast with Dr. Frank Lipman (whose book The New Rules of Aging Well I plan to borrow from my mom as soon as she finishes it) to pay attention to the amount of protein I am getting in (I struggle with getting enough sometimes) and focusing on getting most of my carbohydrates from produce. 

I know I feel my best when eating a Pegan style diet, and while I am not strictly adhering to any diet right now and don’t plan to, it feels good to refocus on the good stuff and pick out new recipes to try. If you like that style of eating, too, check out these 7 delicious Pegan dinner bowl ideas.

Other areas of interest I have on my list to further explore and add into my routine include yoga, meditation, sprouting, and controlling the amount of time I spend on social media (I’ve been working on this for about two weeks now and feel a very positive mental shift!).

My goodness, it turns out I had a lot more to say on this topic than I originally anticipated, but I think that’s just my renewed energy towards taking care of myself shining through. It feels good to feel inspired about my (and my family’s) health again.

What challenges has this year brought to your health journey?
Where are you on the rollercoaster of health on a scale of 0 (totally uninspired) to 10 (researching sprouting and water purification).