The Story Behind Live Well With Lo: Change the World by Loving Yourself

This is the very short-version of my journey into wellness and self-care. These ideas, stories, experiences, and so much more will be in my upcoming book coming soon…

Growing up, I was raised with the idea that I must put myself last in everything I do. Whether it was a goal, a dream, or an idea for dinner, I needed to put myself last in order to elevate other people. I grew up to be selfless in every aspect that I oftentimes would do things and not even realize that I was simply doing what I thought others would want me to do, not what I felt in my heart that I needed to do.

Self-Love has been such a foreign concept to me, it’s honestly hard for me to write about. I still believe that being selfless is such an amazing quality and I believe that selflessness is an important character trait to posses. That being said, I have learned that when you love yourself and make your well-being a priority, you can serve other’s in such a better capacity! I’ve learned that in order to serve others in a truly selfless way, you need to love yourself first.

When I lived my life based on other people’s opinions or desires, I never felt truly fulfilled. I felt like I was just going through the motions of life and I never felt inspired or motivated. I felt that having personal dreams and goals was selfish and so I opted to live small. I did what I felt I should do instead of what I felt called to do for the sake of selflessness. When you live your life like that, you aren’t truly benefitting anyone.

I believe that when you live into the calling and passion you feel on your life, you can serve others in a way you wouldn’t be able to otherwise. I also believe that this is true when it comes to self-care as well. I spent many years of my life going from obligation to obligation and keeping myself busy for the sake of being busy because I thought that if I spent all of my time serving others, I would be enough. I gave everyone else 100% of me and I gave myself 0%. That led me to a place where I was so run down that my body couldn’t take it anymore. I got really sick. I spent so many years of my life so stressed out and in service to others, my body just turned off. (I talk much more about this in my upcoming book.)

When I got sick, I was forced to take care of myself in a way I never had. There was no other option. I could either live how I was living and continue to get more sick, or I could change my lifestyle. I realized that I needed to put the oxygen mask on myself before I could continue helping others.

I learned a lot of lessons during that time but even though that season was dark and scary and full of bad days, I found myself in a new way. Since I was forced to slow down and say “no” to pretty much everything that was non-essential in my life, I realized past passions that had been tucked away. I dove headfirst into wellness and I haven’t looked back since.

When I started to feel better about a year later, I realized that I needed to shift my mindset and the priorities that I had carried with me for so long. I slowly began to re-shape my thinking until I truly believed that It is NOT selfish to take care of yourself. It is NOT selfish to make your well-being of utmost priority. I learned that nobody else is going to take care of you if you don’t take care of yourself.

As I started on this new journey to wellness and self-care, I began to see a passion stir up inside me. I knew that other people struggled with the same ideas on self-care that I used to have. I knew that other people were struggling and living on empty and I suddenly became extremely passionate about sharing my ideas on self-care and wellness with the world. That is how Live Well With Lo was created.

Since wellness and self-care is such a huge priority to me now, I have re-framed my thinking on the word “selfish”. Because of how I live my life now, I have been able to serve and love others in a way I never thought possible. I truly believe I am a better wife, friend, daughter, and business women because I make myself a priority and treat myself with the same love and respect I would give anyone else.

When you treat yourself like you would treat others, you begin to blossom in a way you never thought possible. When you take care of your mind, body, & soul, you are able to serve and love others in a way that comes from true love and joy. I truly believe that if we want to change the world, it starts with US. It starts with YOU. Put on your oxygen mask, girl, and don’t you ever ever be sorry for it!!!!

xo,

Lo

Easy Snack: Fiber Ball Recipe

A couple weeks ago, Danny and I were in snacking moods and I was crazy peanut butter, chocolate, and oatmeal. I’ve seen energy bites before that contain those ingredients and so I decided to experiment and make a recipe of my own! I decided to call these Fiber Balls because they are super nutrient-dense and no shocker here, full of fiber! Since I started making these I have been making about two batches a week because my husband is obsessed with them and so we go through them FAST! 

I love these because they are a filling snack that tastes like dessert but are still super healthy! Also they are ridiculously easy to make and to store! I hope you love them!

Ingredients:

¾ cup peanut butter

¼ cup honey

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 cups oatmeal

½ cup coconut shreds

¼ cups raisins

½ cup chocolate chips

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

1 teaspoon chia seeds

 

Directions:

-Mix together peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil.

-Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix.

-wet hands and mold mixture into 1’ balls

-Place balls in storage container of choice and store in the fridge or freezer! I usually put half in the freezer and half in the fridge. Let cool for 30 minutes & enjoy! 

Let me know if you make these & what you think!! 

Xo, 

Lo

Sauna Therapy: How I use the sauna for wellness

I am soooo excited to be talking about one of my favorite things ever today, the sauna! If you follow me on Instagram then you probably already know that I spend time sitting in the sauna religiously because I LOVE how it makes me feel! I get so many questions on the sauna: what it is, what it does, and why I like it so much, and so I thought I would do a more in-depth post sharing more about it!

Disclaimer: This is just my personal experience with using the Sauna! Each person is unique and what worked for me may not work for you! Also, if you are pregnant, you shouldn't go into the sauna so make sure you check with your doctor if you have any questions about it. :) 

I started using the sauna about six months ago after I got some test results back that showed that I had a high amount of toxic pesticides in my body. I had no idea what to do to get these toxic chemicals out of my body but my natural doctor gave me a game plan to get my health back on track. The main instruction my doctor gave me was to sit in the sauna at least four times a week. I had never sat in the sauna before and I had no idea that it could offer health benefits! I learned that our lymphatic system holds many of our body's toxins and that when we sweat, it's an easy way for the body to release toxins! There are also other ways to detoxify the body but sitting in the sauna seemed to be the best option for me at the time so I tried it out!

It took me about a week of hating it before I loved it! I remember the first time I sat in the sauna I could barely last five minutes. I felt super nauseous and light-headed and I didn't know how I could possibly stand being in such a hot and stuffy enclosed room. Even though I didn't like it at first, I stuck with it and soon enough I began to absolutely love it! 

Sitting in the sauna can be so relaxing and comforting to sore muscles too. I have worked my way up to be able to sit in the sauna for 15 minutes comfortably and every time I do it, I feel AMAZING afterwards! It took about a month or so but after a few weeks of being consistent in the sauna, my body released 10 pounds (which I think was all the toxicity my body had built up), I had more energy, and my skin was glowing!  

Now, the sauna is just apart of my daily workout routine. I usually go-to the gym and do a 30-45 minute workout and then sit in the sauna for 15 minutes afterwards. I try to go at least four times a week. Immediately after the sauna, I take a rinse-off shower and I feel soooo amazing afterwards. The sauna is not only great for your body and skin but it also can calm down the nervous system and relieve stress. 

I know that there are so many different types of saunas out there and I think they are all great. The sauna I goto is just the basic kind they have at most gyms. I have heard that infrared saunas also have amazing benefits as well and there are even at-home saunas you can purchase! The sauna that comes with my gym membership is the easiest sauna for me to use so thats just what I do. I think as long as you are really sweating, it doesn't matter much which type of sauna you use! 

Since committing to "sauna therapy" as I call it, I have truly never felt better. I can't even describe it other than if I take a week off from the sauna, my body craves it! If you haven't tried the sauna yet I would highly recommend committing to it for a month! Aim to sit in it  3-4 times a week for however long you can comfortably sit in it (don't push it) and see how amazing it makes you feel!!

If you have any other questions about the sauna, feel free to ask them in the comments below!

xo,

Lo

My Vitamin Routine

One of the top questions I've been getting recently is which vitamins & supplements I take! I have been hesitant to write this post because I truly feel like each person is unique and the supplements my body needs might be completely different then what yours need! That being said, the vitamins I take now are pretty universal and I have been recommending to all of my friends & family because they have really worked for me! And, you can get them off of Amazon so its a win/win! 

First, lets address a common question about vitamins/supplements. Why take them?! Well, in my studies of natural health and from years of experience healing my own body naturally, I've learned that the food we eat (even if it's healthy) does not provide all of the vitamins & minerals we need. This is because of the way our food is grown & harvested! 100 years ago, our food was grown in a much different way and the soil was much healthier and full of the micro-nutrients that we need. Nowadays though, GMO's, pesticides, and over-used soil has pretty much killed all of the micro-nutrients that used to be in our food. This means that not only does our food have less nutrients, but its also full of toxic chemicals that our body needs to get rid of.

Does this mean that we shouldn't eat healthy food?! NOT AT ALL!! Eating mostly fruits and vegetables will still provide your body with nutrients, it's just probably not enough nutrients to feed your body optimally. Don't take my word for it though, dive into the research! There are so many great resources that share about poor farming practices, GMO's, pesticides, etc. 

I also want to note that choosing locally grown organic produce is the BEST way that you can make sure your food has all of the amazing micro-nutrients you want! Spend a little time researching local organic farms in your area and join a produce coop or go-to a farmers market and buy your produce that way! Not only are you buying more nutrient-dense food but you are also supporting local farmers who use sustainable farming methods!

Okay back to vitamins...

My Favorite Multi-Vitamin:

About two years ago I went on the hunt for the best women's multi-vitamin that used whole food supplementation. This means that the vitamins are found directly from fruits, vegetables, and herbs, not chemicals. My search led me to The Synergy Company and I've been using their products ever since!

***This is in no-way sponsored or endorsed, I wish!!!  ;) They have no idea I am writing about them but I truly love their supplements and so I wanted to share!***

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor! I cannot tell you want is best for your body. I am just sharing what works for me! :) You should always check with a doctor if you have specific questions and especially ask if you are pregnant or nursing!

My favorite from The Synergy Company is their daily women's multi-vitamin! Why I love this one so much is because it doesn't only include vitamins and minerals but it also has herbs that support women's hormones, digestion, mood, etc! You may have heard me talk about adaptogens before like ashwagandha or reishi and those are both in this vitamin along with a ton of others! It can be expensive to purchase herbs all by themselves and so I love how this vitamin includes all of them! 

They also have a pre-natal version of this vitamin! So if you are an expectant mama, that would be the one for you because it doesn't contain any of the herbs that the regular one has. 

Vitamin D

On top of my daily multi-vitamin, I take an extra supplement of vitamin D! I have dived into a ton of research that shows how important vitamin D is for our bodies, especially women. Even if you live in sunny Hawaii like me, vitamin D is so important to make sure you are getting. I once heard from a natural health doctor that unless you are laying in the sun and getting a sun-tan every single day, you probably aren't getting enough vitamin D! So it is super important to get your levels tested to make sure you have enough! Last time I got my vitamin D levels checked from my doctor, I was super low! It was shocking to me. So now I take a couple of drops of this vitamin D every day and I just put it into my water. 

taking vitamin D has helped me with: energy, immunity, digestion, and bloating

Again, I'm not saying that every single person needs to be taking this! I'm just saying that adding in extra vitamin D has done wonders for my energy levels & immunity!! 

These are the two main vitamins that I take each an every day. I also take additional vitamins or supplements as I feel they are needed but I can do a different blog post on those if you would like me to talk more about my health routines!! I hope that you found this helpful and feel free to leave me a comment if you have any other questions or if you would like to see more health-based blog posts! :) 

Xo,

Lo

My Free Skincare Guide is Out Now!!

You may or may not know this but I run a skincare business and I get questions about skincare and how to take care of your skin almost on the daily! I am SO passionate about skin health and taking care of your skin! Did you know that 80% of your skin health is up to you and your daily habits? Only 20% is up to your genetics! This means that if you take good care of your skin, you will be setting yourself up for beautiful skin for years and years to come!

I truly believe that skincare is a part of self-care. Whether its using a body brush, exfoliating, giving yourself a weekly detox mask, or sticking to a skincare regimen, taking care of your skin will make you glow from the inside out! You are worth it, girl!

Since I get so many questions about skincare, I decided to create a free skincare PDF guide with my five top tips for glowing skin and a radiant complexion! I hope that this guide leads you on the right path to find the best skincare routine that works for YOU and brings you confidence in your skin from the inside out! 

Xo,

Lo