February Healing Favorites

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Happy March, friends! It’s time for the February healing favorites! As per usual, February flew by. When I was a kid and was learning about the number of days in months, I always knew that February was the weird one, but I always thoughts it was 32 days 😉 If only! I feel like I can’t get anything done in 28 days!

February was my first full month working my 4 job life of Unbound Wellness plus consulting and marketing gigs, and I’m really loving this work arrangement. I feel like I’m able to focus so much more on Unbound Wellness and I’ve been able to put together some recipes and posts that I really love. Plus I also put together a free 30 day challenge and support group that kicks on this upcoming Monday! It corresponds with the my e-book, The 30 Day Gut Healing Guide and is all about adding more support! 

Last month, I also got the flu which was not fun. It knocked me down completely for 4 days and was right before I had to go to Vegas on a work trip! So some of my favorites this month are directly related to getting through that trip in a healing way… starting with my lunch crockpot!

1.My Lunch Crockpot 

When I left for my work trip, I was just barely over my flu. My fever had only broken hours before I got on the plane and my appetite was not back to having a normal appetite yet. I usually prep like crazy for these trips, and I had no idea what I was going to do in a hotel for 3 days when I had zero time to prep with being sick in bed all week!

The morning before I left, I decided to batch prep two difference soups that were full of bone broth… a carrot ginger soup and a butternut squash sage soup… and freeze them! They barely froze in time for the flight, but as long as liquids are frozen, you can bring them through airport security (pro tip). I brought along my lunch crockpot to cook the soups, and it totally saved the day!

The lunch crockpot doesn’t actually cook food, it only heats it up. That’s why it’s perfect for just having on your desk at work so you don’t have to use the microwave at lunch, or for traveling with frozen food. It takes about an hour or two to heat up your food, and it brings it to a safe temperature and keeps it there… just like a crockpot! Before I left the hotel room each morning, I just turned it on with a soup and came back for lunch with a nourishing soup.

It really saved the day for this trip, and it’s the perfect AIP travel companion!

2. Acorn Squash & Lower Starch Moments

Another favorite this month was acorn squash! I actually brought some roasted squash with me for my conference and heated it in the crockpot with cauliflower rice, and have been eating it roasted as a side dish throughout the month. Winter squash like acorn squash is a good way to get in healthy carbs that are a bit lower in starch! 

I’ve been making a concentrated effort to go a bit lighter of starchier carbs this month to help balance my gut and my blood sugar. I always notice a huge difference in my digestion and my hormones when I’m eating more starches, and it’s not for the better. When we have overgrowths of bad gut bacteria (which I know I have) they feed on the starch and make our issues flare. Plus, my blood sugar is far more balanced when I lean on less starchy veggies. It’s really been making a huge difference. That’s not to say this is forever, but it’s what my body want’s right now, so I’m listening!

3. Smoked Salmon

Smoked salmon is my favvvv and I’ve been indulging! I still don’t eat whole eggs, so smoked salmon is my ultimate breakfast item. Pair it with veggies like leeks, arugula, and maybe some fruit, and I am one happy camper.

Salmon is a great healing food! It’s nutrient packed, high in healthy fats and anti-inflammatory Omega 3’s. Salmon was one of the first healing foods that I really loved, and I pretty much eat salmon in some form every week.

Smoked salmon isn’t cheap, so it’s definitely a splurge item. Sometimes you’ve just gotta treat yourself!

4. Sea Snax

Another travel favorite are sea snax! I took tons of these with me when I went to Indonesia in December and I’ve been hooked ever since. Seaweed is iodine rich is important for thyroid health. It’s also important to not overdo it on the iodine with Hashimoto’s, but a few sea snax here and there are great!

They’re perfect to just throw in your purse for a quick veggie snack on the go or traveling. They’re roasted in olive oil, so they’re a bit messy, but still delicious. Just have a napkin near by!

5. Sweet Apricity Caramels

So we all know treats are to be enjoyed in moderation when healing. But like I said, sometimes you need to treat yourself! 

I’ve been seeing sweet apricity caramels a ton on social media and was so excited when I got to try them last month! They’re totally AIP and are made with coconut and other natural ingredients. They’re portioned in small caramels so they’re perfect for just eating one and stopping rather than binging on a whole bag of something. 

My non-AIP husband literally ripped off the beautiful label and ate over half of the box of these! That’s how good they are. Next time I may have to hide them 😉 

6. Favorite Healing Book :  Namaslay by Candace Moore

After following her work for quite sometime, I decided to get a copy of Namaslay by Candace Moore. Candace is the creator of Yoga By Candace, and she puts out amazing yoga videos and content that I’ve done myself many times. She has a super unique and amazing healing story of healing from chronic lyme with the GAPS diet. This book is about her healing journey, and has tons of tutorials for yoga poses.

Yoga has been huge in my own healing, and though I like going to classes more so than practicing at home, I’m excited to keep reading this book to deepen my at home practice as well.

7. Favorite Healing Influencer: Jackie of Jack Attacks Life

I’ve been following Jackie of Jack Attacks Life (formerly Jack Attacks Arthritis) for several months now, and she is one of the most inspiration, real and hilarious people I follow. Jackie documents her journey of living with rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid cancer, anxiety, parenthood and more. She’s incredibly down to earth, and her journey is one that we can all relate to!

I actually had the pleasure of meeting Jackie in person this month! I knew she lived somewhere desert-y, but when I got to Vegas for my trip, I learned that she actually lived close to where I was staying and we were able to have dinner together. She’s just as great in person as on the internet, y’all 😉 Go give her a follow and be ready to laugh.

8. Favorite Healing Verse: Pslam 23:4

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” – Pslam 23:4

This verse literally always makes me emotional. All of us on healing journeys can relate to feeling like we’re walking through the darkest valley. Like our problems just never stop and we keep sinking deeper and deeper into illness. It’s always something and it’s never easy. 

However, this verse reminds me that even in those dark moments, God is with me and is with all of us. Dark times exist and we don’t always understand why we just can’t eat the pizza or why we feel so fatigued, but we’re never alone. We all have problems in this world, but God is with us <3

 

I hope you had a fabulous February and will have an even better March!