I don't pull the leaves out of the flowerbeds right away. They say that not doing so helps native bug populations, but I'd take any excuse not to participate in the yearly yard cleaning frenzy that goes on in these parts. It feels more symbolic than purposeful to me.
Sort of like modern beauty routines; an excuse to take dozens of steps nearly for the sake of doing so. This #SlowLivingSunday, I wanted to highlight some of the ways that I minimize the time and money spent on my self-care regimen, so I can find the joy in it.
I truly believe that the most valuable thing one can do to look and feel better is drink enough water. Science of course tends to back this up, as do so many influencers and dietary experts.
I also think that we should eat for our health when possible. With the rising cost of food becoming startlingly high, it can be difficult to always do this though. Due to my autoimmune issues, one of the things I focus on in my diet the most is ingesting immune boosting foods.
One way I obtain this without a steep price tag is by making fire cider. An Indigenous gem, this drink is filled with probiotics and packs a punch when viruses hang around! I recently fought off a nasty bug by taking a few shots of this a day, it is one of my favorite natural remedies!
2+ Garlic cloves, cut in 8ths
1 Inch or more of fresh ginger, roughly chopped
Several dashes of turmeric powder
Juice from 2 lemons
2 Tablespoons of horseradish
Combine Ingredients in a jar and top with apple cider vinegar, store in a cool place. Concoction becomes more potent with time!
Some folks also like to add honey (a raw honey comb is optimal) and also onions. This time I chose to leave both of those out, adding the honey into the shots I take instead.
With the nudge to make a batch of this liquid fire, it has now become a part of my daily routine once again. As for the things I cannot seem to ingest enough of to boost my health, I take supplements.
I don't take the vitamins everyday, but I do a few times a week. I find that the combination of B/D vitamins and magnesium leads to increased energy levels for me.
My daily ace is Ashwagandha though. I've been taking it for a little over a month, and I feel it has had an incredibly positive impact on my overall health.
They say that you should not take it if you have an autoimmune disease, but so far doing the opposite of what I'm told has yielded the best results for me. As old as it makes me feel, taking my daily fire cider and pills is a simple way to boost my overall happiness.
Of course, there are a number of things I do to take care of myself that are more exciting than a good diet and supplements! Lately I've been giving myself a few pedicures a week, as well as adding a handful of practices into my daily routine. I think every day should be a spa day!
In general, I will not spend money on specialized beauty tools. For example, tools for facial massage have become popular recently. I happen to massage my face every night, which is what the coconut oil above is for. I find that this evens my skin tone, and maybe prevents wrinkles too.
I suppose the jury is still out on the second one, as I am still in my early 30's! I certainly see the difference in my face when I slack on this practice though.
With just my hands and a 10$ jar of oil, I can achieve more than I could with a variety of products. In fact, I use coconut oil as night cream, lotion, and also utilize it to make face masks. Why buy 10 things, when one can do it all?
The few exceptions I've found to this for me are in the basket above. I'm obsessed with hydrogel anything, so I purchased these eye masks for the days I do a pedicure. I'm also over the moon about this scalp massager and hair oil combo!
I'd been on the fence about ponying up the 6ish dollars to purchase one of these. I've learned long ago that buying into fads just encumbers my space... This is one time I'm glad I did!
It only takes 10-15 minutes to massage oil into your scalp and then brush it out, but gosh is it relaxing!
Not only that, but it works wonders on thin hair.
I have fine hair, and although I have a lot of it, it often lacks the volume I wish for. Since using this massager every few days for a couple weeks, my hair has been thriving!
Self-care doesn't have to be costly or complicated. Taking the time to do these simple activities each week helps me to stay centered, to amplify my self-love, and to find some much needed relaxation. How about you, what are your minimalist self-care favorites?
