Weird Wellness Loves Lately
A couple of weekends ago, I was EXHAUSTED. I slept from 7 pm on Friday until 12 pm the next day, waking up only to feed my dog and myself. I had been pushing myself too hard, and my body was trying to tell me something. So I listened. I slept all weekend, ate what my body was craving, and moved when I felt like it. And it was GLORIOUS. I tried a few new tricks that weekend, and haven't had a migraine in 2 weeks! That is like eons for me.What I'm loving lately:
Chlorophyll drops. I put these in my water at least once a day and I swear, I have more energy than I usually do. They are supposed to promote "strong blood" and somehow increase your body's ability to circulate oxygen (The Skinny Confidential has a great post on that), and I definitely notice a difference. I'm going to bring these with me when I travel. They taste refreshing - it says mint-flavored on the bottle and while it's not a strong mint flavor, it is a strong hint that is just refreshing.Adaptogens. I've been taking Ashwagandha on and off during stressful times for most of 2017, and I really like it. I can feel a definite difference in how I handle tough situations with it. After my burnout a couple of weeks ago, I added Rhodiola and Holy Basil into the mix as well, and so far they have really been helping. Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, and Holy Basil are all purported to help strengthen the stress response, each with their own unique properties. I have been pretty darn stressed and pushing myself pretty hard lately, and I think I will keep taking this combination through travel season. This mix doesn't fix anything, it just helps fortify me and give me the support I need.Sleep. I've gotten 8 or 9 hours of sleep a handful of times recently, and let me tell you, it is LIFE CHANGING. I've been on a solid 7-7.5 hour per night kick, and while that was fine, every once in a while I really need more than that. I have also been napping with reckless abandon. Sometimes, this girl just needs sleep. Recently, my neurologist even told me that sleep is really the only true cure for migraines, so I asked her - only half joking - if she could write me a prescription for sleep. Seriously, it cures all!Decaf coffee. I've gotten a bit addicted to coffee this summer. I went years without caffeine (seriously, I didn't have a single drop during grad school) and recently remembered how much I love it - and I can tolerate it better now as well. I was on a medication that made me super shaky when combined with caffeine before, and now that things have been switched up, I can have a cup of coffee here and there and it makes me feel GREAT! Until I have 2 cups a day every day....then I don't feel so good. So I've cut back to drinking decaf because I do love the taste, but I need to not need it every day. I'm sure I'll have it a few times during travel season, but a traveler's gotta do what a traveler's gotta do.