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

Slow Cooker Mexican Shredded Chicken

I've got to be honest, I almost didn't post this recipe because it is soooo easy to make. I've actually been really insecure to post recipes in general because I'm not an experienced cook and I love to make really simple but healthy food! I try not to add any "fluff" to my food and if a yummy meal looks complicated in a cook book, I simply won't make it!

As I was thinking about it though, I figured that if I was this way, there's got to be other women out there that appreciate simple recipes too!! So, here is my SUPER EASY shredded Mexican chicken recipe! Let me just tell you, once you make it and see how easy it is, you will definitely want to add this to your weekly rotation! 

The chicken comes out so moist and flavorful and you can seriously add it to so many things to complete a meal! I added it to black beans and mixed greens earlier this week to make a taco salad! You can add this chicken to enchiladas, tacos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, veggies, etc! It's goes with pretty much everything!

I hope you love it as much as I do and please leave me a comment if you would like to see more healthy (but ridiculously easy) recipes! 

INGREDIENTS:

(feeds four)

2-3 frozen boneless chicken breasts (1 used two large ones)

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 16oz can of salsa

1 tsp paprika

1sp chili powder

1 tsp cayenne (for spice) 

HOW TO:

1. Place frozen chicken breasts in slow cooker

2. Add salsa, chicken broth, and spices

3. Cook on low for 6 hours or until chicken is fully cooked

4. Add chicken breasts to a bowl and shred with forks

5. ENJOY! 

This was before I added the salsa & chicken broth!

Enjoy!! 

xo, Lo

5 ways to get out of a personal or professional funk

If you are anything like me, its hard to stay motivated ALL of the time. Lets face it, we are human and sometimes we may find ourselves in a funk or a rut that is hard to shake. Because I work from home, it's super easy to get into seasons where I don't feel as motivated or the passion for my career is hard to find. There are definitely times when I don't FEEL like working or going after my dreams. There are also times when I get down on myself for personal issues. We aren't perfect and things will come up! Life happens. We all have those days where it seems like everything is going wrong and we aren't happy with where we are at.

I want you to know something...

If you are in a lull season or even just having a tough week, let me tell you a secret, YOU WILL BE OKAY. We all get into a rut sometimes and its very normal to have a rough day every once in awhile. It's important though that whenever you are facing a personal or professional rut, that you work to grow yourself so you don't stay in that rut forever!!

*I feel like it is important to say that being in a personal funk or professional rut is different than suffering from anxiety or depression-if you feel like you are facing something more than occasional mood swings, you should seek professional help. If you want to read about my journey through debilitating anxiety, you can read that here.* 

When I am in a funk, there are a few things I do that help get me back on track! 

1. Process how you are feeling:

Oftentimes when I am feeling down and out, its really because I am feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes there can be so many ideas, to-do's, or projects swimming around in my mind that it can be hard to feel grounded. The very first thing I do when I am in a funk is journal out all of my feelings! I write out EXACTLY how I feel and I do my best to try to figure out WHY I'm feeling that way. I've found that oftentimes, the things we perceive as insurmountable in our heads are actually pretty trivial when you put them down on paper. I like to do a "brain dump" and literally list out every single possible thing that I need to do or accomplish. This helps me to clear my mind and refocus on the present.

2. Give yourself a mental vacation & do something creative:

After a good brain dump, give yourself a mental vacation! Remove yourself from your normal day-too-day and do something to give yourself a reset. For example, if you work from home, go on a spontaneous adventure to somewhere outside of your norm for an hour! If you work full-time, ditch the gym after work and go on a hike or bike ride. If you are a student, step on the brakes with studying and instead spend an hour painting or doing something creative. 

When you can remove yourself from your normal day-to-day routine, you allow your brain to reset and process. Oftentimes when I do something to intentionally go on a mental vacation, I come back feeling so refreshed and rejuvenated that I WANT to start working towards my goals again. 

3. Tune into personal development:

If you are still not feeling inspired after step two, it's time to dive into personal development! There's nothing that fires me up like a personal development book or an inspiring podcast! I will link my all-time favorite personal development books down below but some of my favorite podcasts to listen to are: The Goal Diggers Podcast, Rise Podcast, or Second Life Podcast! There's few things I love more than going on a long walk and listening to a podcast! 

4. Write out possible solutions to the problem you are facing:

After completing steps 1-3, you should be feeling pretty good! Now is the time to problem solve any potential triggers or issues that could be causing your stress or "funk". Is there a toxic relationship in your life? Are you always finding yourself overwhelmed because you don't know how to manage your time? Is there a personal insecurity that is keeping you from the next level? Asking yourself these types of questions and then creating an action plan to find a solution is one of the best ways that you can move on from the rut you are in and begin chasing your dreams again! 

5. Set daily small & achievable goals to get you back on track:

At this point, you should be feeling pretty good about yourself! You have reflected, rested, re-gained clarity, & problem solved! Now is the time to put your reflections to ACTION! What is one thing that you can do TODAY to make your life better? Maybe it will be to call an old friend to reconcile a broken relationship. Maybe it's choosing healthier eating habits. Maybe it's completing specific tasks that is going to move the needle in your business. Whatever small goals you have, create new habits to help you achieve those goals to improve your life and just DO them! It doesn't have to be anything drastic or life-changing but I'm a believer that developing small habits each and every day have the power to create massive change in your life. 

I really hope that these tips help you problem solve and gain clarity so that you can truly live the life & calling you were meant to! I believe that we are ALL called to do great things with our lives and so don't let a funk get in the way of you being your BEST self!!

All my love,

Lo

My Favorite Personal Development books: 

What type of face mask should you use? & My three current favorites!

Recently, I have been loving face masks to give my skin a little extra love to combat all of the sun I've been getting this Summer! Once a week I aim to give myself an at-home facial which helps to remove dead skin cells, unclog pores, and keep my skin hydrated! I've been trying a ton of different face masks recently because, lets be honest, thats my favorite part about an at-home facial! 

It has been hard for me to find good face masks because oftentimes they either leave my skin red and irritated or they completely dry it out and strip it of it's natural oils! There are many really harsh face masks on the market and I would encourage you to really do your research and not just go for the  "popular" ones (if it hurts to take off, it's NOT a mask you should be using) When looking for a good mask, look for one that that cleanses the skin, minimizes pores, and adds moisture instead of stripping moisture! 

I use three different types of face masks and I keep them all on rotation...

1. Detox Mask:

When you think of a face mask, you probably think of this type! Many masks are meant to only be used once a week (or even less) and they are a bit stronger and harsher on the skin. I love using a Bentonite Clay Mask for my back & arms & arm pits (gotta detox those lymph nodes!) and then I use a charcoal mask for my face once a week! Since I have sensitive skin, I have had to try a bunch of different charcoal masks to find one I really love! My current favorite is  Origins Clear Improvement Mask which helps to get all the gunk out of my pores without totally irritating my skin! 

This is the mask I use for my back & body (in my opinion, way too harsh for your face!) and its only $8! 

Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay Deep Pore Cleansing, 1 Poundp>

2. Cleansing & anti-aging mask:

This is the mask that I use every single day to cleanse my skin, give my skin an anti-aging boost, and still preserve all the natural oils that my skin needs to stay hydrated! I use the Redefine Cleansing Mask in the morning as a face scrub and then I use it at night as a two-minute mask! It gently cleanses & exfoliates the skin using kaolin clay which is the best ingredient for purifying the skin but also preserving your skins natural oils. If you are new to the face mask world, I would definitely suggest starting with this one! It is so versatile and you really can't go wrong with it! I have been using this for four years straight and I can't go a day without it! 

3. Hydrating Mask:

This is a newer mask that I've added to my weekly skincare routine. Since I've gone to the beach more often this Summer, my skin needs all the hydration it can get! I call this my "beach mask" because I always use this hydrating mask after a beach day! The Jet Lag mask by Summer Fridays isn't your normal face mask and that actually took me by surprise! This isn't the type of mask that you have to wash off. Its an ultra-hydrating mask with a thick cream-like consistency. Not going to lie, I was a huge skeptic at first! I use it about once a week, though, and absolutely LOVE the glow that it gives my skin! 

Sooo... what type of mask should you be using?!?! Well, I would say that using all three of these is such a great way to address multiple skin concerns (when it comes to face masks at least). But if you can only pick one...

-If you have oily & acne prone skin I would recommend a Charcoal Mask! 

-If you have normal or combination skin and want something for anti-aging I would recommend a Kaolin Clay mask! 

-If you are looking for a hydrating mask then I would recommend Summer Friday's Jet Lag mask! 

I hope that this was helpful for you! Let me know if you have tried any of these masks & your thoughts on them! Oh and If you want help ordering the Redefine Kaolin Clay Mask (save 10% and free shipping) then shoot me and e-mail and I will give you info on how to order! lauren@livewellwithlo.com

xo,

Lo