10 Healthy Hacks for 2021
I don’t know about you but throughout COVID one of my missions has been finding new ways for better self-care, increasing immunity and decreasing big pharmaceutical influences in the body. Imagine if you did not maintain your home or car? What would be the repercussions over time? Since your body is the home you live in 24/7, here are some products I discovered that truly tick the boxes of health improvement. I don’t have affiliations or product compensation from these companies and as always just sharing my findings.
I was on the search for a fluoride free toothpaste with good ingredients which is more challenging than one would think. There are many less than desirable ones on the market that make you not want to brush your teeth but Uncle Harry’s delivers in multiple ways. Their toothpaste comes in little glass jars and is like paste-like but works. Our favorite flavors are the spearmint and cinnamon.
Their mouthwash is also quite good, and they even sell a little mascara like wand you can keep in your purse or pocket for fluoride-free freshening up on the go. A dental health blog discussing fluoride will follow soon as it is critical to our overall health and well being. Suffice to say – although we have been told fluoride is essential, it comes with a host of problems including weakening the skeletal and cardiovascular systems and compromising the pineal gland which regulates the circadian rhythms of the body.
Although I’ve always enjoyed the essential oils of lavender on my temples for sleep and peppermint during the day for aromotherapy, Vibrant Blue Oils takes it to a whole new level. They carry many blends of high quality organic wild-crafted essential oils which work for many ails. My favorites are parasympathetic which helps increase the parasympathetic (rest and digest) functions versus sympathetic (fight or flight) systems of the body; migraine relief – a couple drops on the forehead and temples really works in terms of aborting a migraine or headache coming on; lymph – moving the lymph is more important than ever and rubbing a few drops on the sides of your neck can start the process. My other favorites to have on hand are attention, calm, sleep and circadian rhythm.
For years, I have been on the hunt for an aluminum-free, petroleum-free and chemical-free deodorant that actually works and had just about given up till I found Sierra Essentials at a gift shop in Yosemite. It is made of great ingredients, goes on nicely and works! They carry a few fragrances that are very pleasant.
When I broke my patella a few weeks ago a colleague told me to immediately get T-Relief. Although very familiar with arnica I had never heard of this product. It did wonders within the first few days of my injury as it contains many anti-inflammatory herbs including comfrey (see below) and took the edge of what might have been a miserable few days. It comes as a cream, gel or tinctures.
This company makes high quality salves and tinctures for different health concerns. I had ordered one of their pet salves for Perry a while back since it contained organic anti-inflammatory combinations for skin sensitivities and itching common in Weimaraners.
Comfrey is a plant that grows naturally and in the ancient medicine world was called “bone knitting.” I found some comfrey powder and we made a paste every night and wrapped my knee and much to my surprise I needed no pain or anti-inflammatory medications as soon as we started this regimen. Even my health care practitioners were shocked at how quickly my patella was healing. Red Moon Herbs sells comfrey salve which I applied liberally to my knee throughout the day. I also like a few of their tinctures – Dandelion, Adaptogenesis and Skullcap for their health properties.
Jeffrey found this company in looking for hydrosols that have healing properties. We have been using the Yarrow spray which is great for healing cuts and abrasions on the body. Our favorite is the Pinon spray which is helpful for balancing and clearing negative energy as it works on the pineal gland. I can attest that it has helped me in this recovery mode as I spray it on my face a few times a day and feel immediate relief and calmness.
As air quality is always an issue living in Los Angeles, we needed this workhorse for our home. I discovered this company which has been around for years and are considered one of the golden standards. We purchased the Health Mate Plus which has 5 levels. Even keeping it at level 1-2 you will notice a difference in how you breathe and in air quality. Well worth the purchase.
These water filters (under the sink, countertop, bottles) are the new standard that eliminate heavy metals and fluoride as well as hundreds of contaminants and plastics.
We were surprised how clean and fresh the water tasted – well beyond what we were using. We did a taste test with a few friends and clearly everyone picked the one with this filter and then they all went out and bought it. Clean water is one of the keys to health (besides clean food and air), so this is one to consider in your household.
Stillpoint Upledger’s Inducer
This is a great little tool to have on your coffee table. It was developed by Dr. Upledger (who wrote several famous books on cranial sacral therapy) to help with neck pain, headaches and provide relaxation for the neck. You put it underneath the pressure points at the base of your skull and just lay on it for a nice little release and way to relax any time of day.
There are more to come but these hacks have been a tremendous help to myself and family during these stressful times as bridges to stay on track with healing and overall health. Self-care is no longer optional but requires diligence and daily maintenance – just like your home or car to keep you running smoothly and efficiently for long term health.
