WELLNESS GIRLY TRAVEL MUST-HAVES
HYDRATE
the key is to keep your hydration top notch, which means more water, more salt, and more minerals.
COMBAT TOXINS (RADIATION, HEAVY METALS, ETC)
the airport is the woooorst. Am I just saying that? Honestly, you can do the research, but I do know that after being in airports, my body is wrecked. So there must be something to this. I like to prep my system with as much detoxifying help as possible.
RECOVER
My nighttime tea is simply a non-negotiable. I feel better if I drink it, no matter what. I sleep better, which is probably key, but the boost of magnesium, kidney support and immune boosting properties is top notch.
NOT SO BASIC TOILETRIES
I like to keep a few basic but necessary toiletries on me while I travel – things that I might have trouble finding in an airport gift shop or may need on a whim.
caramelized french toast
No, this is not a food blog.
BUT.
A lot of my life right now is spent in the kitchen, and good, simple yummy recipes are a part of my everyday life feeding three small heathens.
French toast is a fam fave on days when we all just need a little pick me up. We generally stick to protein rich meals, sometimes a sweet, carby breakfast is where it’s at.
My caramelized french toast is not tricky at all, and takes basic french toast up a notch. It also requires zero syrup, and when you have toddlers, the less sticky, the better.
INGREDIENTS and instructions:
one loaf of thickly sliced, sourdough bread
whisk together
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp salt
In another bowl, mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon together
Melt 1 tbsp butter in a cast iron pan
Soak slice of bread in egg mixture, then coat both sides with cinnamon sugar mix. Fry in butter until crispy-ish on both sides. Enjoy hot just as is or with berries. No extra syrup or sugar needed.
NONTOXIC KID CARE
Unless our kids are sick, we don’t do or give much – bath time is simply baking soda and warm water, and castile soap if needed. Tallow and coconut oil are our go-to moisturizers, and supplements are minimal but purposeful. Everything we give most often is listed below!
Every morning:
.5 oz of Daily Build from LivePure – our favorite methylated daily vitamin (I take it too!). It’s liquid and tastes yummy so it’s easy for them to take, and doesn’t upset their tummies. No bad stuff, AT ALL and no fillers.
Every night:
CalciuMK from LivePure – the most bioavailable form of magnesium and calcium and tastes like strawberry yogurt. Magnesium calms their little bodies and slows their busy minds while the extra calcium helps build strong bones and arteries.
Magnesium oil spray on their feet. Again, triggering the body to calm down. And magnesium is essential for proper functioning of the body and brain, as well as instrumental in the body’s natural detoxification process, which happens at night.
When a little stressed:
Goyin from LivePure is a blend of ancient superfruits that calms your nervous system immediately. It’s my go-to for any time a child feels a little out of sorts, stressed or just “off.” It’s a great tool to use before homeschool for my oldest, and a great social anxiety calmer, too.
When a little sick, or about to be sick:
Noni from LivePure is the holy grail. An ancient superfruit that, IMO, prepares your body to fight off any free-radicals, making it nearly impossible to catch a virus. It’s beautiful. Warning – it’s BITTER so mix with some juice or Goyin to help them get it down. And take with food.
Mary Ruth’s elderberry is a wonderful antioxidant and tastes bomb, too. We dose only when there is something going around, not every day. I love this no-fillers and all natural brand, too.
Chestal or Cold Calm are my go-to supps when things have actually hit and both work wonderfully. Boiron is a homeopathic brand and these supplements do not disappoint.
For skin or muscle first aid:
Arnica and topical magnesium are essential. This mag spray combined with this arnica cream will get any muscle ache, bruise or bump taken care of fast.
Tallow heals everything and we use tallow in place of most antibacterial ointments if needed. It’s also a great skin moisturizer on the daily.
EASIEST HARD BOILED EGGS
I’m oddly proud of my hard boiled eggs – perfect every time, even if I have just collected them from the coop.
Here’s my hard boiled egg method, that works for easy peeling and perfectly cooked, every time.
If you’re using farm fresh eggs, please wash them first. You can find my egg washing method HERE. Trust me, you don’t want chicken poo getting on your eggs, in case they do crack in the pressure cooker. Which sometimes, they just do.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
Stainless steel pressure cooker and eggs, up to one dozen at a time
Add one cup water, 1/4 cup white vinegar and a hefty pinch of salt to your pressure cooker. Using the rack so the eggs don’t touch the bottom of the cooker, add as many eggs as you would like in a single layer. Mine fits about 12.
After the lid is on and knob is on Pressure, cook eggs for 6 minutes on High. Let pressure naturally release for approximately 3 minutes (it really doesn’t matter). Then turn Pressure knob to release and carefully release the rest of the steam.
Using tongs, add eggs to an ice water bath until cool enough to handle. Peel and eat ;)
FOOL PROOF ENGLISH MUFFINS
My fan favorite, ultra delicious sourdough english muffin recipe, here.
Make sure you feed your starter and come back to bake. Recipe start to finish takes about 24 hours.
INGREDIENTS:
75g active starter
15g raw honey
220g raw or whole milk
135g water
3 tbsp, roughly, salted butter
10g pink salt
500g organic, unfortified flour
In a small pot on the stove, combine butter, water and milk. Heat on low until butter is melted. Let sit for a few minutes, you don’t want that mixture too hot. Once you’re able to stick your fingertip in it without crying, it’s cool enough.
Add milk mixture to starter and honey, and gently agitate with fork or dough hook until combined.
Add flour and salt, and combine using dough hook on your mixer on low until smooth. Turn your mixer up to medium speed and let that dough work for about 5 minutes. Your dough will be very smooth and look too wet. That’s ok.
Remove dough and place in shallow but wide bowl covered in a wet towel or covered with a plate. Let bulk rise/ferment on the counter for at least 10 hours, overnight, or until doubled in size.
Once risen, pour dough onto lightly floured surface and let sit for 5 minutes to rest. Roll out into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. Use a large biscuit or muffin cutter to make muffins and place on lightly floured parchment paper. Re-roll your dough until it’s all used. It should make about 8-10 four inch muffins.
Let the muffins rise, covered in a light tea towel, for about 2 hours, or until puffy, but not doubled.
Heat cast iron skillet to hot to touch. Turn town to medium and place your muffins, uncrowded, onto the ungreased surface.
Cook until golden brown on each side, about 6 minutes per side.
Let cool before cutting so they aren’t gummy, and enjoy with fresh butter or jam, or just eat plain like my kiddos do :)
WHAT YOU’LL NEED:
NEVER NOT NEARING NORMAL
Something that sparked joy: seeing more and more IG posts about the driving force behind success being the fear of being average.
Questions I have: Not all magnesiums are treated equally… I need to research the differences. BRB.
Favorite piece of content I saw: literally everything HouseInHabit for the second week in a row.
Idea of the week: What if it wasn’t a puzzle… entrepreneurship. What if it was a Lego tower?
The Danger of Dawn
Have you looked at what’s in your Dawn dish soap? Or any… dish soap?
It’s ludicrous. Why is soap so TOXIC?!
In fact, by law, brands like Dawn are not even required to list ALL the ingredients in their products, so I would assume they are leaving the most toxic stuff just completely off the list. And sadly, over time, I have not been able to find a good alternative for quite some time. And everything I’ve made myself has been, well, subpar.
Until now. After much experimentation, I have found THE ONE.
A dish soap that is non toxic, works well, and actually suds! Which is what I miss most from using traditional dish soap. The suds are where it’s at.
Homemade dish soap:
1/2 cup grated Castile bar soap
1/4 cup liquid Castile soap
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup baking soda
Pour in boiling water and mix together while doing so. Wait for the foam to simmer and then fill remaining space with water. Shake up and use as regular dish soap. Nice and thick and cuts grease like room temp butter.
SHOP WHAT YOU NEED:
LINEN CLOSET CHAOS
Is your linen closet as despicable as mine?
I was TOTES influenced by Thermaland Oaks and bought these bedding organizers like… weeks ago. And I’ve been too overwhelmed with my linen closet to even try to use them.
That was stupid.
Look at these beauties!
Fully anticipated that this would take me a minimum of half a day. Not sure why. I ended up tossing some old bed sheets that were beyond whiteness repair and like 5,831 pillowcases that needed to be thrown out 6 years ago. What I ended up with was a change of sheets for each of the kids’ beds, once extra pillowcase each, and two extra sets for our bed (one basic set, and one summer set to replace the ones we have on right now).
We’ve really dialed in our bedding situation this year, switching from unbeknownst to me toxic bedding to completely organic, 100$ cotton, dye free bedding and it’s been a game changer. Even the kids have noticed a difference – Joey sleeps with a regulated body temp now (he used to be always hot), and the babies are not waking up with stuffy noses (which I also thought was normal? Lord help me).
Take the 15 minutes and toss out old bedding, snag some new nontoxic ones, and then have the linen closet that you’re actually pleased to open and make beds with.
MID DAY NOURISHERS
I have fallen victim to the mid-day iced coffee more than enough times. Or the energy powder, drink or shot. I’ve also been known (a lot) to put on some loud music, yet another podcast, or pass time by scrolling through socials or watching another FRIENDS episode.
I realized a few years ago, as I was going through my journey balancing my hormones and lowering my cortisol levels that have been risen for years, that these things were NOT the answer.
I began practicing my mid-day nourishment routine when the kids were all finally old enough to spend 15 minutes alone in their rooms without me worrying about the house burning down – around the ages of 3-4.
Each day, I start boiling some water, slowly turn off the lights around the house, and it triggers the house into a “mom’s quiet time” routine. Everyone slowly heads towards their rooms with a little encouraging, and I set up some quiet activities for the toddlers while my oldest usually tinkers with Nerf Guns or listens to a Cap’n Dreambeard story on his Alexa.
Once everyone is settled, I pour myself a tea (yes, even in summer), generally herbal so I don’t get caffeine jitters, and climb on top of the covers in my bed with the lights off, red light panel at my feet, and sip my tea in silence for as long as the kids will let me, which is about 20 minutes.
I’ve noticed this routine not only calms my nervous system – dropping my heart rate and softening my breath – it also does wonders for my energy. I feel revived after those 20 minutes, way more so than I ever did after a phone scroll or iced coffee. My energy peaks up, I feel excited to snag the kids from their rooms and head outside to watch them play, scream and roll in dirt. My patience is higher, voice lower, and I’m slow to anger.
It took some practice, but it’s by far my favorite routine of the day, especially with entrepreneurship and homeschool at the forefront of the everyday.
DIY HOUSEHOLD GLASS CLEANER
My favorite, household glass cleaner than you can make using things you ALREADY have in your cabinet. And if you don’t, here’s an easy shopping list on Amazon so you forever have the staples needed.
Estimated cost is only about $1.50/ bottle, and you could cut back on the rubbing alcohol if you need to and make it a whopping 75 cents. I like to use the whole 1/2 cup – I find it helps evaporate faster and leaves it a little sparklier.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup isopropyl alcohol, or rubbing alcohol
1/2 cup white vinegar
a few drops pure Castile soap (I like unscented Dr. Bonners but any will do)
Instructions:
Pour all ingredients into a cute spray bottle, and shake to mix.
Store under the counter, out of reach of little hands.
Spray liberally onto any glass surface, and wipe with microfiber cloth to get any scrubbing done – such as yogurt smears or muddy fingerprints.
Shine up with a flour sack towel, if needed. Or just use the flour sack towel if it’s a normal person kind of dirty, and not a mother of toddlers kind of dirty.
IOS UPDATE SURVIVOR STORIES
Something that sparked joy: seeing my face on my screen after struggling to get my fancy webcam to work after updating my Mac iOS to Sonoma and breaking literally everything.
Questions I have: Does Apple WANT to kill us?
Favorite piece of content I saw: literally everything HouseInHabit
Idea of the week: maybe just don’t make technology so hard. thats all.
COLD PLUNGE DIY
It started with the burning curiosity to try something because everyone on the internet was doing it.
Then it started transitioning to listening to these people on the internet, and seeing the mental and physical benefits in real time.
Then it started as a rebellion. People telling me that it wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be. That I don’t need to do this, or worse, shouldn’t. I now had all the tools for greatness:
Admiration. Desire. And a chip on my shoulder.
My bathtub in my bathroom is giant, and while I used it often for my scolding hot detox baths, I quickly added a few shovels full of ice and cold water to see if I could withstand a minute or two in some mediocre cold water.
I did. And I felt freaking amazing. So the next day I added a little more ice. And then a little more. And then I went a little longer. And then I became an addict.
And by addict, I mean dopamine hit chaser extraordinaire, through all the means that were healthy, kosher and benefited my life.
The benefits started immediately. I slept better. The inflammation I didn’t know I had went away. My feet and ankles no longer hurt when I woke up in the morning. My acne cleared up. My hunger was suppressed. My milk supply increased (I was breastfeeding). My period pain subsided. So did my ovulation pain. My anxiety was less, I was less triggered by noise. My brain fog cleared. I started writing again. Reading again. Had more energy.
And it had only been a month.
More than two years later and hundreds and hundreds of cold plunges in, I can say without a doubt that the cold water has saved my life. I could list out the benefits for eternity, but I have been trying to narrow down exactly WHAT I’ve been able to pinpoint as a tangible benefit after all this time. Here’s my best guess at the top 10:
Since I began cold plunging:
I’ve weaned off my antidepressant I ‘ve been on for 16 years. It’s the first time I’ve been unmedicated since my teenage years.
I have lost almost 70 pounds.
My sleep quality is unmatched – I sleep all night, every night, and I’m tired when I go to bed and rested when I get up.
My skin is glowing, literally. No acne, no red patches, no eczema, no dry skin. Anywhere on my body.
I can withstand temperature change, fluctuations and severity with ease. I don’t get cold easily, nor do I get hot easily anymore. Summers in severe heat are a literal breeze, and winter days are not spent shivering.
Conversationally, I’m faster thinking. My wit and grace in daily conversations has improved. I used to feel lost or lagging or slow in conversation. Not anymore.
Productivity has skyrocketed. I get more done than I’ve ever got done. Even in my prime of work when I was pre-kids. Distractions are limited and time management is scoring.
I’m a better mom. No question. My kids are so proud of me every single day when I get in that water. And I am proud of myself. That matters.
I’m a happier human. The end.
My favorite – I give less effs about minor things in life. My “fuck around” tolerance is pretty low. There’s less drama, less overwhelm, less… crap in my life since I began cold plunging. Why? Because if you aren’t choosing the hard and making yourself better every day, I don’t really want to be around you. And I’m 100% ok with that.
All that to say. If I can start this journey with a bathtub, a meat thermometer and some water frozen into old milk jugs, so can you.
We’ve obviously since upgraded our plunge situation, but no way in hell was I spending thousands upon thousands for the same effect I had in my tub. I am in this for the hard, and making something easy isn’t really my cup of tea.
So we made it convenient. And cheap. And stinking awesome.
It’s still just as hard, if not harder, to get in this freezer every day. I mean, who voluntarily sits down in next to freezing water temperatures for fun? I do, and so do many of my friends and people I admire. It’s no longer a want… it’s a need.
We get asked a lot if we can share where we got our cold plunge, and I’m so proud to say we didn’t. We made it, and for less than $200. It sits on our back porch, serves as a bar top when we have company, and is one of the most prized possessions I have.
How we made a masterpiece cold plunge under $200:
First thing you need to know – there’s a risk here. This is not some fancy cold plunge pool that comes with a huge release of liability and fancy material to keep you from getting electrocuted. No, please use your common sense and do what you deem necessary to make sure you don’t die. Ok, moving on.
Being that we made ours a long time, this tutorial does not come with photo instructions. BUT, if you follow the steps, it’s pretty self explanatory. You can totally do this. If you need help, ask the handy gentleman down the street you see working on his lawnmower and he will know what to do.
Determine a good spot and size of area (close to a power outlet and area safe to drain water out )
You want a chest freezer with top lid to fit said area, make sure you can comfortably sit in it. Purchase a new one, or one off marketplace, or use one you have that has been sitting in the garage for 6 years. The prep is the same regardless of the freezer. We bought one off marketplace for $125.
Snag your materials needed to prep the freezer. Aquarium Grade silicone, GFI plug, Ink Bird thermostat and a small water filter.
Prepping the plunge
Make sure freezer is clean and dry on the inside
Using the aquarium grade silicone next, you want to run a bead along all interior seams or holes to make it waterproof. Warning - using silicone not rated for aquariums will peel off under water and cause you to have to reseal the whole freezer.
Allow plenty of time to dry and cure according to the silicone label. .
Place in your plunge spot, make sure you can open the lid easily before adding water. Some need 4’’ away from the wall for hinges to open.
Mount ink bird and attach thermometer.
Mount filter and attach to ink bird so they run at the same time. This helps prevent inversion layers in water.
Fill
Still unplugged, fill ¾ with water as a starting point. If you fill too much it will overflow when you get in..
Now you are ready to plug in your power, but first make sure you have a GFCI protected plug to prevent you from dying!
Plug freezer into the ink bird, then ink bird into power. Otherwise you will have a giant ice cube.
Plunge
After 24-48 hrs the water should be close to the set temp.
Make sure to unplug the freezer as a safety precaution before using.
FOR THE SAKE OF THE HARD
Something that sparked joy: photoshoot on Monday for an upcoming project (sneak peek here)
Questions I have: Do people really listen to podcasts anywhere other than Spotify because if so, that’s silly. Spotify is THE podcast app and I cannot be deterred.
Favorite piece of content I saw: This podcast episode was everything I needed
Idea of the week: My brain is overloaded with ideas this week, but I am most excited about this thing called Screw Average…
Don’t give af about the super bowl
Something that sparked joy: cold plunging EVEN THOUGH it’s trending to tell women they shouldn’t.
Questions I have: did Taylor Swift make her new album with A.I.?
Favorite piece of content I saw: Just still really into Rogan
Idea of the week: a wine fridge wall.
SUPPLEMENT ROUNDUP
Oh hi! Ok, here’s what you need to know.
We eat carnivore. Which means our food intake is centered around protein and meat based meals. These supplements ARE NOT carnivore and hard core carnivores are going to cringe at this and tell me that I am not carnivore. They are right. I “eat carnivore.” But, I enjoy providing my body with a whole lineup of well rounded health, including but no limited to meat AND the following.
What we don’t eat:
Vegetables, of really any sort. Except one baked potato when I’m on my period because… cravings.
Out of season fruit. We DO eat berries (organic and preferably in season locally), mandarines, organic apples which we can find almost year round, and any local fruit we can have when it’s picked right off the tree or vine or bush.
Bread, unless it’s made from scratch and sourdough. Even then, it’s limited to slices of fresh sourdough or my mediocre bagels.
The weakness we have is pastas. Though always topped with lots of meat and butter and cream, this family’s weak link is a good ravioli.
Ok, now that’s out of the way. Here is what me, myself and I choose to take each day to supplement my mind and body.
The Line Up:
Morning – electrolytes always first, followed by my Daily Build multi and liquid collagen. These three are my staples and haven’t changed in YEARS.
After coffee, I usually take my Thesis Creativity pack, especially if I’m coaching or training that day. I’ll generally have my protein shake here too, forever and forever @1stphorm Level 1 with raw milk.
Mid Day – around lunch time, I’ll do my greens (I go back and forth between a few, currently loving AG1), Energy scoop from Pure if I need it (I never do mid day coffee, it upsets my tummy), and Pure GoYin. More on GoYin and my obsession below.
Night time – Moon Juice Magnesium, tart cherry juice, one PureXcel and four droppers Pure Cleanse (twice a week only, back to back).
Honorable mentions:
Pure GoYin – a proprietary blend of ancient superfruits, herbs, and other fruits that have been traditionally used to help bring the body into balance and enhance overall well-being. I take a shot a day and it’s supported my hormone health AND has been a staple in my three month wean off of anti-anxiety meds.
PureXcel – not one of the most purchased products, but without a doubt my most taken staple product. This blend is imperative in my lineup for reducing oxidative stress and free radicals, and the daily detoxification support of my body. I attribute it to the L-Glutathione combined with cold plunging. It’s a unstoppable pair.
A few other things I love:
Revitalize – I really like to add this to my routine in my luteal phase, when my body needs a little extra boost in minerals. Take mid-morning, it gives me some good energy.
Other greens – I do really love the Green Synergy from Arbonne. It’s without a doubt the most drinkable, and I do order than every once in a while.
Detox tea – again, Arbonne is my fave. I drink this in luteal and menstrual phases only.
CHARGERS FOR ALL
Something that sparked joy: the charging port for the iPhone 15 is the same as every other charger in my house and it makes things SO much easier!
Questions I have: How do some of these IG influencers get SUCH high video quality on their reels? Like, are they using professional lighting or what? I have questions.
Favorite piece of content I saw: The comment section on this silly reel about how cold plunging is bad. People are silly. (https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0U5aG3OSQx/?igsh=eG5iZmVxNDhwYWg3)
Idea of the week: I don’t remember what book it was, but there was a chamber that used UV light to disinfect people before they went into a science lab (I think this might be real, too?). But why can’t we have a little miniature one that goes on the outside of the doggy door, and the dog walks through it, gets sprayed and dried and cleaned before they come into the house. Somebody make this.
THIS WEEK’S MUST HAVES
some silly little chickens
Something that sparked joy: watching the chickens be silly in the lawn after the rainstorm
Questions I have: Did Jennifer Aniston really change her last name from Acidophilus to Aniston because if so, I don’t blame her and also, was the name a purposeful drop in the Monica and Chandler get married episode?
Favorite piece of content I saw: This little girl with her adorable Pledge of Allegiance (https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0U5aG3OSQx/?igsh=eG5iZmVxNDhwYWg3)
Idea of the week: a shop vac lawn mower, so you can suck up all the standing water in your lawn after a big rain storm or snow melt, so it’s not muddy for us and the dogs and the chickens for weeks afterwards. This does not seem like too hard of a task.
THIS WEEK’S MUST HAVES
