(image via Flickr)

I probably don’t need to tell you that we’ve been facing some cold days of late in NYC.  For me this season usually goes hand in hand with dry, itchy, red, flaky skin.  The combination of cold wind and dry heat from the space heaters that warm my apartment are my sensitive skin’s worst nightmare.  However, with significant trial and error, I seem to have found a skin care regime that’s really working for me these days.  So, if you’re in the market for some moisture, these are my suggestions:

ShiKai Borage Therapy Dry Skin – This body lotion is the real deal. I don’t know much about the borage plant (you can read about it here) but it works wonders. I seriously love this lotion and have never used a better one. I buy mine at Whole Foods.

Jojoba and Coconut Oil – I use coconut oil mainly to take off make-up and sometimes as a face moisturizer.  I use jojoba oil right out of the shower on my face and body (under my lotion, so to speak).  I also use it as a facial moisturizer when I first wake up and after I wash my face, before applying the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream – I first bought this facial moisturizer on a desperate winter day walking around the city with Farrell.  The skin on my face was so dry it hurt!  I can’t tell you how great it is.  The cream is so hydrating without being at all oily.  I also use this brand’s face wash, however after reading this blog post, I’m looking forward to replacing it with raw honey once I run out.

NUXE Reve de Miel – Honey Lip Balm – Simply the best.  And I’ve tried many, a many lip balm.

I have been meaning to watch this video that my mom sent me for a while. This morning, I finally did. I was pleasantly surprised that it was Brene Brown’s voice. I just love everything that she says. I felt so touched by this video because I have experienced both of these scenarios in the past couple of weeks. Sometimes not know what to say is the best thing to say.

Thanks for the reminder, Mom, and I am sorry for being the fox guy every once in a while (you know who you are).

(image via here)

January is a month so many of us are working to set healthy routines and practices in various areas of our lives.  This is apparent not only in my own daily life but in my email inbox as well.  Lately, many newsletters to which I subscribe have been sprinkling a range of healthy tips and inspirational messages my way so I thought I’d share a few of the ones I’ve found most helpful with you.  Cheers to a happy and healthy weekend!

1) Skin Brushing (via Clean)

“Use a stiff bristled dry skin brush and spend a few minutes brushing your body in an upward, circular motion before your morning or evening shower. Skin brushing stimulates the lymphatic and circulatory systems, helping you to release and eliminate more toxins. It also makes your skin soft and invigorates the whole body.”

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2) Vitamin and Supplement Cheat Sheet (via GOOP)

3) The two best places to channel your addictive energy (via Healthy Crush)

4) Mindfulness reminder from Dad:

Most of the time we are occupied with our own thoughts–thinking about what has happened in the past or imagining what might happen in the future.  Many of us live most of our lives on autopilot. Through mindfulness we develop the capacity to become more aware of what is happening in our lives as they are unfolding.  And we do this without coloring it with our judgments, fears, hopes, or fantasies.

By reducing distractions, mindfulness helps us focus our attention, enabling us to directly experience what is happening right here, right now.

After all, nothing ever happens in the past or the future.  “Now” is the only time where our lives unfold.  The only moment when we are alive.

I woke up this Saturday morning feeling restless. I spent the morning looking for getaways, hotel deals and Southern California day trips. I was crawling in my skin with unease. I always feel tired. I don’t spend enough time outside. These were the type of thoughts that were at the top of my mind.

I convinced Albert to go to Swizter Falls in Angeles National Park. The falls were supposed to be amazing. It was going to be great!

After a whole rigmarole trying to get a day pass and almost turning back, we started our hike.

When we finally arrived at the waterfalls, it was kind of a bust. We sat by the water for a while and watched a mother and son take hundreds of pictures jumping in front of the waterfall and I really kind of came to thinking.

It’s never about where you are trying to go. Goals are fantastic and get you to where you want to be. But, it’s the people you come across and the things you see and do that really make you feel alive.

The waterfall was great and all but the journey was where it was at.

I travelled today and let me tell you – the vibes at the airport are no bueno. After almost being bumped off my flight from LAX to Cleveland, I was rushed aboard right as the plane was backing out of the gate.

Here are the things that kept me afloat:

CV Skinlabs – Calming Moisture 

I used this so many times while I was in the air. It is the best lotion because it is not too thick.

Host Defense – Immune Support Mycoshield Spray

I will not get sick this winter and here is why:

Anne Marie Gianni – Herbal Facial Oil

This facial oil is perfect for the winter time and extremely dry climates. My face soaks up the moisture.

The Ginger People – Ginger Chews 

If my stomach feels off, I pop a couple of these babies and I am set straight.

1/2/3/4

There was a split second in time this year that I felt like everything was just right. I remember feeling so grateful that everything in my life was great. I loved my job for the first time in my life, I was making new friends, the sun was shining, all of the people I loved were healthy or on their way to greater health, I loved my boyfriend more and more each day. It all felt, well, perfect. And in the moment, I relished in it.

I knew it was only a matter of time until we would need to fix the car or I would face another obstacle. And of course those things did happen.

Over these past couple of months, I have felt some extreme highs and some disappointing lows. The high times felt like a buzzing energy that was almost, at times, too much. The low times have been a subtle sadness and more just a bummer than anything else.

I am telling you this because in this moment (who knows if it will last), all of those highs and lows feel like perfection too. As my mom reminded me, everything is always coming back to balance. I think the key thing for me is to remind myself during low times, and even high ones, that everything will balance itself out in the end.

So, I am relishing in that realization for the time being.

I’m getting ready to head out to the west coast to meet up with the rest of our family for the week. While we’re enjoying each other’s company in the California sun, we’ve scheduled a series of posts that take a look back through our archives. First up, we have a little recipe rewind for you that we hope might come in handy as you finalize your Thanksgiving menus. Enjoy!

Roots Medley | The Yummiest Quinoa Parsley Salad |Beet Pasta with (or without) Ricotta |  Massaged Kale Salad | Two Variations on a Citrus Salad | Gluten Free Apple Pie

Bonus Recipes: Fresh Mint Tea & Smells for the Season

At work, we talk about the gut a lot. I mean, a lot. Lately there have been some really interesting resources about gut health and how to approach it. I thought I would share some of my favorite resources with those who are interested (I hope you are because it is so important and so fascinating!).

NPR recently did a story called: Gut Bacteria Might Guide The Workings Of Our Minds. It addresses how bacteria in our bodies could effect our brains. What they found out about probiotics and anxiety is really cool! 

I have been listening to the Gluten Summit on my way home from work and I am loving it. One fact that has stuck with me from Mark Hyman’s talk was that eating two slices of whole wheat bread increases your blood sugar more than 2 tablespoons of sugar.

This article discusses that if pregnant mothers are stressed, it could effect their baby’s gut and brain health.

I know this one is crazy and maybe taking it too far for some of you. I will just say two words and you can click on the link or not: Poop Pills.

(image via here)

feel your feet on the floor | see your connection to the core | spiral down | slowly soar

replant yourself | before seeking more

(image via here)

In my most universal and least personal thinking, I believe that everything is just as it’s meant to be.  Or more simply, everything is okay, all of the time. This belief does not however easily translate to the ways I experience what I perceive to be less than ideal scenarios in life.  Lately when I start to feel my anxiety over any given situation rise, and my mind go into its familiar role as an incredible over-thinker, I’ve started to say to myself, this is not a problem.  When I remember to say this to myself, I can literally feel tension in my body release.

I’ve heard some interesting things about stress lately. Mainly in that stress is neither good nor bad for you on its own. Rather the affects from stress are directly linked to how you perceive the stress.  I should look this up and figure out where it’s said, and who said it, but I’m not going to do that.  I’ll simply choose to believe that it is true. {wink}