Real Life: What I’m Eating for Skin & Brain Health
Home, simple living, simple eats, skin food, brain food, nontoxic skincare, health coaching, lifestyle design.
Seems like so much time has passed already, since I returned from Victoria! And yet, still no answers.
What I do know is, upon arriving home, I was flooded with gratitude for where I live in this world…and relief for the sounds and silence of mountain lake living.
This time of year, in particular, the light here is magical. The dark, silhouetted mountain tree-line at dusk reminds me of Nelson and home more than anything I know.
Since I’d left, things had changed. Hot weather had arrived, for one! Full-on shorts and flipflop time!
The willow tree outside my cabin had turned from yellow to green, and I found myself sorry I missed the transition. The lake had risen substantially, and wetness and greenness are now everywhere.
Bald eagles are making less frequent appearances in my backyard, though they still show at perfect moments. Last night, for instance, while practicing evening yoga on the deck, I watched one fly from far, far in the distance…to straight overhead and down low as I came in and out of backbends.
So interesting to compare a very different homecoming in March, when I returned to a freezing cabin without water plus tons of dread around my employment situation.
Without that point of contrast, I’d question whether the ease + relief I felt this time was solely due to the solace I get from returning to steady routines and a familiar home space. It was that…but more. Things had changed. Spring was here. I was free again.
What’s next? I still don’t know!! Stay posted ;).
What’s in my bowl lately
Also since returning, I’ve been loving lighter, warm-weather meals. Specifically, I’m craving foods that feel good, boost energy, and support brain and skin health. What’s that look like? Usually like this:
- A bulletproof mushroom drink rather than coffee as breakfast (I’ve had NO coffee since the second half of my Vic trip…and don’t even have tea at home currently!!)
- Simple, easy bowls featuring smoked salmon, soft-boiled eggs, avocado, blanched asparagus, wilted spinach, green olives, a few walnuts, sea salt, cracked pepper and a drizzle of olive oil (This is my current comfort food and literally describes 99 percent of my meals right now.)
- Extra-dark chocolate (85% or higher) and full-fat coconut milk for after-dinner dessert
So. Good. For mood…energy…brain health…skin health…and more.
Speaking of diet + lifestyle
I have several spots open for long-distance, one-on-one coaching this spring and would love to fill them! I also offer two-session deep dives, which provide a powerful jumpstart without the longer commitment of a full coaching package. Either way, you’ll get a custom plan of your next steps for eating and feeling better.
I LOVE that my clients (all women currently) range in age from 20s to 60s. These connections across the decades (each one is represented at present!) is precious to me. All bring different backstories and gifts to the work.
And…all focus their coaching packages differently, depending on goals and needs. We work on eating in a way that’s simple and feels better, yes. We also work on crafting lifestyle habits + routines that bring greater clarity and ease.
I reposted a client story on the blog this week about eating, exercising and not fighting yourself. As I say in that post, our bodies have a natural tendency to move toward wellness and balance. Given the right nourishment, they want to thrive. They want to look and feel healthy.
That said, changing old, familiar patterns is So. Hard. Let me help — it makes a world of difference. Apply on the coaching package pages or contact me here.
Speaking of skin health
In the other “branch” of my business, I’m seeking team members who care about safer, nontoxic beauty + skincare.
When it comes to what I eat AND what I put on my skin, health + deliciousness take priority!! Beautycounter is doing something special when it comes to safety, advocacy, sustainability and giving. It is upending the beauty industry by creating conversation around social change and fiercely advocating for more protective health laws in both Canada and the United States.
Its 2019 Social Mission Report dives deep into the details — contact me if you’d like a pdf copy. Also check their Mission page. And if this calls to your heart + health like it does mine, reach out about joining as a member or consultant (both receive super-generous discounts on products).
Some people (like me, a Doctor of Oriental Medicine) do this work part-time or as part of their other businesses…others turn it into a full-time gig…others sign on *just* to get cleaner, safer, quality skincare and makeup at a stellar discount. ALL of us are supporting an important mission: advocating for healthy choices and our planet.
Again, contact me to chat about joining! Currently, consultants can be based in the United States or Canada. Because there are still very few Canadian consultants, there’s extra opportunity here!
And, for anyone wanting to give Beautycounter a try, here are some warm weather favourites:
- Dew Tinted Moisturizer (sheer coverage + SPF 20 protection)
- Flawless in Five (six safer products to swap out for your makeup kit)
- Nourishing Rosewater Mist (perfect for spritzing on your face when you need a pick me up)
- Countersun Mineral Sunscreen Mist (What’s in your sunscreen matters!!!)
- Full Countersun line (lotions, a bar, travel sized mist and more)
One more thing
Geesh, this was a long one! But I want to leave off with a powerfully resonant quote from a book I’m reading: Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less, by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang (highly recommend!):
“It is wonderful how much work can be got through in a day, if we go by the rule — map out our time, divide it off, and take up one thing regularly after another. To drift through our work, or to rush through it in a helter-skelter fashion, ends in comparatively little being done. ‘One thing at a time’ will always perform a better day’s work than doing two or three things at a time. By following this rule, one person will do more in a day than another does in a week.” (Thomas Mitchell, Essays on Life)
How do YOU do with doing one thing, then the next…mindfully and with care? Personally, I not only get more done, but suffer from WAY less stress and anxiety. It just feels better…and lets me connect and listen more deeply, from a non-rushing place.
Last but not least, this week’s…
Recipes + Links
Reduce phantom power (and other excellent tips). One. Good. Thing. A. Day.
Turns out, my new shoes are vegan. A sustainable fashion line-up (check the Vejas!).
May or may not be tearing up over this song while driving lately. What’s on your play list?
The secret to curing Sunday Scaries is actually very fun. Also, no more Sunday Scaries is one the BEST perks of working for myself. I still listen to this each Sunday…but now with a sigh of relief and as a gratitude practice.
This is your brain on silence. I knew it!! “In recent years researchers have highlighted the peculiar power of silence to calm our bodies, turn up the volume on our inner thoughts, and attune our connection to the world. Their findings begin where we might expect: with noise. The word ‘noise’ comes from a Latin root meaning either queasiness or pain… People who live in consistently loud environments often experience chronically elevated levels of stress hormones…. Quiet is a part of care, as essential for patients as medication or sanitation. It’s a strange notion, but one that researchers have begun to bear out as true… Freedom from noise and goal-directed tasks, it appears, unites the quiet without and within, allowing our conscious workspace to do its thing, to weave ourselves into the world, to discover where we fit in. That’s the power of silence.” Oh, and maybe I should move to Finland (why, plus cool brain science at the link, which is worthy of a thorough read).
Mark Sisson agrees. Speaks (very, very quietly) to my body, mind, heart and soul.
As the weather warms, my dinners look a lot like this. If you’re on an AIP (Auto-Immune Paleo) diet, skip the eggs and omit the black pepper. Rachael’s site is a treasure trove of other AIP meals too!
P.S., What are you eating as the weather warms? And do you prefer silence…or background noise? I’d love to hear in the comments! xo.
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Life by design.
When you’re making changes, caring accountability makes a world of difference.
I offer two avenues for customized plans + coaching:
The Foundation and The Deep Dive.
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With simplicity + ease, Dana
