February was an intense month! Many of you have shared big life changes (some exciting, some scary!), felt stuck, or felt overwhelming emotions. It’s nice to know we aren’t facing these shifts alone. My favorites include new mineral-rich electrolytes, my favorite natural botox alternative, and a warming veggie stew.

Personally, I was dealing with a major comeback of my migraines. It’s so easy for me to get frustrated when my migraines come back because of how debilitating they are and how much effort I’ve made to heal them. However, multiple people in my life kept telling me to send love to my body. This is something I talk about with clients, but it was a good reminder to me to view these symptoms as a message from my body, not a failure of my health. This time instead of taking a more physical approach, I got out of my “healing crisis” (not setback!) with journaling, meditation, and Reiki! A huge shoutout to Inga who worked her reiki magic. I could feel myself getting a headache the morning of my appointment with Inga but haven’t had one since my appointment with her after getting daily migraines for 2 weeks straight. Here’s her website: https://www.ingarozkahealing.com/

Enjoy!

1. Rayvi Electrolytes

Rayvi was founded by a dietitian looking to make a very mineral-rich electrolyte. This electrolyte blend contains a higher amount of potassium, magnesium, and other minerals compared to other popular brands.

These electrolytes would be best for:

• Those who easily swell/get puffy with too much salt
• Mom’s post-pregnancy
• Weak hair and nails, spots on teeth
• Daily life

I would not recommend this electrolyte for those with POTS, dizziness, or those who need to consume higher amounts of sodium.

2. Face Tape by The Natural Faces

Recently, it seems like everyone and their mother is getting or talking about Botox. “Preventative Botox” is being recommended on social media to younger and younger women. No shame to anyone who has tried Botox but I see some major flaws with Botox:

• It is literally a toxin
• Stopping muscle movement causes muscle tone loss —> this leads to sagging muscles later in life!
• Blocked muscles = blocked lymph flow
• It’s ok to have wrinkles and real skin 🙂
• It’s a costly investment women are being told to receive without any discussion of possible adverse effects

So here comes an easy non-toxic Botox alternative: Face Tape!

I’ve tried other products similar to this face tape, like Frownies and other tapes from Amazon, and hated them! This stuff is the real deal. It does not cause breakouts and actually helps to improve circulation as well as help with fine lines.

This would pair well with facial gua sha, facial massage, or facial yoga. Or if you’re like me and don’t want to add on more complex health routines, this is as easy as it gets.

3. Spiced Chickpea Stew by Alison Roman

I first made this stew during the pandemic and have made it several times since then. It truly never disappoints. I love the mix of chickpea textures, warming spices, the hint of spice, and fresh herbs on top. Make this before soup season is over!

~ Tamara