10 Wellness Items to Add to Your Holiday Wish List
Prioritizing wellness can be expensive. However, that's what wish lists are for, right?!
Here are 10 items that I love and use to help me sustain healthy habits (in no particular order).
Starting out strong with a great gift for mental health. If you suffer from anxiety, ADHD and/or restless sleep, this should go at the top of your list. Resting or sleeping with a weighted blanket on your body switches the nervous system from fight-flight-fawn-freeze mode to rest-relax-recover-heal mode. This enhances sleep time and quality. I personally have a hard time sleeping without mine!
As a plant-based dietitian, it is essential to share the most important nutrients you should be supplementing. I finally found an amazing supplement that aligns with my needs as a plant-based eater and I love it. I get the Essential Liquid, which contains iodine, zinc, magnesium, selenium, vitamin D3, vitamin K, vitamin B12 as well as DHA and EPA (Omega 3s). Instead of taking a bunch of different horse-pill supplements, I highly suggest this one! Use code fuelup for 10% off your order.
3. Books
These are my top 3 recommended books, hands down. From disordered eating support and guidance to self-help guided by Jay Shetty to education on why we choose the foods we eat, the information in these books can help you become an optimal you.
4. Oil Spritzer
If you've been following me, you know my thoughts on oil...it is a processed product. However, some oils like olive and avocado are definitely beneficial in comparison to butter or highly processed oils like soybean and palm oil. Because of this, I highly recommend having an oil spritzer in the home. There are plenty of oil-free cooking methods I will share in a future post, but if you like certain dishes with a little bit of olive oil, use an oil spritzer to reduce your use.
Queen sweet tooth, here. You too? Check out the link above for some of my favorite healthy snacks in addition to some tasty treats. All vegan, all delicious.
I designed this deck of cards to help individuals get Stronger With Every Affirmative Thought... Hence, SWEAT. These cards can be taken anywhere and they help you strengthen your muscles, endurance and mind! Each card has a fitness exercise as well as a positive affirmation. The aim is to do the exercise while saying the affirmation to yourself (in your mind or out loud). If you're unfamiliar with the names of the moves, you can scan the QR code and you will be taken to YouTube video demonstrations of the moves.
Sure, any water bottle will do. BUT, water bottles with straws are more effective. Why? Because as humans, we conserve as much energy as possible. A water bottle with a straw that pops open with the push of the button is ideal if you are working on better hydration for your health. I use this Icewater bottle all the time, but especially when I am teaching fitness classes due to its convenience. I drink double the water using a straw like this than when I use my other reusable water bottles that have twist lids or straws that is opened manually.
I am constantly encouraging my clients to journal so they can improve their emotional and physical health. Many clients have difficulty knowing what to write when journaling and making the time to journal. I recently found this journal and I absolutely love the ease of use. You'd be surprised what a 5 minute journal session can do for your wellbeing. The only drawback of this journal is that it does emphasize positives and does not allow for a space to release negatives. However, I have a perfect journal format...If anyone wants it, let me know!
As you may know, I am a master meal prepper. However, I cannot sustain meal prepping every week. For those weeks I am too busy or burnt out to cook, I rely on my favorite Splendid Spoon meals. Not only are they convenient, but extremely inexpensive per serving, plant-based and absolutely delicious!
Though this one is pricy, it is soooo beyond worth it! Do you know how many contaminants are in our 'drinking' water? Over 320 different kinds! The Berkey system removes over 99% of contaminants including arsenic, bacteria, chlorine, e. coli, microplastics, fluoride, glyphosate, heavy metals ( Aluminum, Antimony, Barium, Beryllium, Bismuth, Cadmium, Cobalt, Chromium, Chromium 6, Copper, Iron, Lead, Mercury, Molybdenum, Nickel, Vanadium, and Zinc) as well as nitrites, pesticides, petroleum products, PFAs and PFCs, radium, uranium, viruses, trihalomethanes and pharmaceutical drug contaminants. Standard filters like Brita only filter out 5 of these contaminants. Purchasing distilled, purified or spring water gets pricy, is environmentally unsustainable and exposes us to loads of endocrine disruptors. This Berkey system is the best investment I've made for my health in a long time! The one below is the one I got with the additional fluoride filters).
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need any other suggestions.
Happy holidays!
Ashley Cotta, RDN, LDN
food4fueldietitian@gmail.com
IG: @food4fueldietitian
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