The Best of 2019

In my years of Bio-Hacking, I have found that the easiest time of year to lose track of my top values (my mental and physical health) is during the holiday season. This is especially true for me when it comes to giving gifts. I love finding the perfect gift and spoiling those closest to me, but this often can lead to over spending, investing in things when what I really value is time, or even forgetting to be present because I am so focused on finding instead of being. 

To combat this on-going struggle, I made a promise to myself that I would invest in brands that I believe in, products that make a lasting difference, and support the health of those I love. That means being intentional with my purchases and bio-hacking my way through the shopping experience. Here are some of my favorite ideas for gifts this year that support overall wellbeing (mentally, physically and spiritually):

Heat Therapy

What more can I say about my love affair with heat. I moved from the central coast of California to Reno, Nevada in search of more sustained heat. Ever since my diagnosis of mold toxicity illness, I have used a sauna to detox.  

Both Near- and Far-infrared sauna have red colored lights. But near infrared is more of a cellular recharge with sweating and detox as a secondary benefit. Far-infrared is just the sweating and detox benefit.  

Near infrared light is used by biohackers (that is you and me) for regenerating hair follicles, skin, nerves, and macular degeneration.  I use it for mitochondrial health (you know those little powerhouses in your cells), skin tightening, and sweating.  

Red light therapy or Near Infrared devices can be as simple as DIY or as sophisticated as you can imagine.  I would rate the SaunaSpace Faraday as the best Near Infrared therapy around.  It is simple in design--it's just an anti-EMF tent with 4 red tungsten filament ThermaLights. It is thoughtfully designed and I consider it a sanctuary within my home. The anti-EMF fabric that make up the sauna is 5G-rated and tested up to 40hrtz.  

Love Your Skin

CocoRoo lotion is the bomb.  I have long searched for a lotion that doesn’t have weird ingredients. I like to keep things simple and minimal and so when I found CocoRoo at a trade show, I was ecstatic. I used to use straight coconut oil for moisturizing because I couldn’t find anything better. But coconut oil has the tendency to take a while to soak in and stays greasy for hours. The macadamia nut oil in CocoRoo yields a lighter feeling and a faster-absorbing lotion along with a slightly sweet smell. I’m not usually one who loves scented lotion, but CocoRoo is so mild and naturally scented, that I crave it right after a shower. 

Thoughtful Fuel

Rep Provisions is my favorite go-to snack and fast food. I’ve been at Whole30 and clean eating for a long time. The usual raw almonds, almond butter, or vegetables can get a bit old and repetitive. Rep Provisions has re-imagined the flavor of healthy fast food, and I’m definitely a fan.  They uphold high standards for both their beef and pecans.  They are thinking about humans, animals, and the earth. 

Game Changer 

I’m a problem solver. My whole life and health were very complex puzzles for almost 2 decades. It took tenacity, perseverance, and down-right stubbornness to sort out my life and symptoms. So it only makes sense that I love jigsaw puzzles. Besides working on the left and right side of your brain, puzzles increase memory, spatial skills, and improve cooperation. We love #DowdleForkArt puzzles at our house. His artistry and palette are enchanting yet fairly realistic.  

Bio-Hack Your Shoes

Although I strive for minimalism, shoes are a stumbling block for me. I loooooove shoes. These days I have to be very selective about my shoes in the name of minimalism and my capsule wardrobe. Turkish leather shoes have been all the rage among some circles. Sabah seems to be the trending brand, but I’m not down for paying multiple 100s of dollars for shoes that I can’t try on before I purchase. So I went for an identical shoe at half the price. I (my hubs did most of the work) then added a DIY earthing kit to each shoe and wah-la, my perfect dressy-casual summer shoe emerged. 

Bonus: Planning for Change

This pencil is the best thing since sliced paleo-bread. Pencils and erasers are seemingly ordinary objects, but they could hold the promise of a flawless day.  When I started using a pencil in my Passion Planner I was liberated from white-out and suddenly had the freedom to change my plans without getting bent out of shape mentally.  Writing in pencil is a very tactile reminder that I can plan all I want, but my day may hold unexpected surprises or inconveniences, and that is ok. Take this as your reminder that no matter how much you plan out your holidays, shopping experience, or life, you have permission to make changes that support your health the MOST in the moment.