Wellness

Beauty, Real Talk, Wellness

PUFA is a trending term right now in the wellness community because there is so much research and data on the negative health affects of ingesting them. So WTF is a PUFA? It stands for polyunsaturated fat. Not only are they shitty for your health when eaten, they’re also not great for your skin. Today I am doing a deep dive into why I am no longer using them during my morning and night time skincare routines.

Polyunsaturated oils come packaged as skincare usually as seed oils and they are often labeled ‘natural’, ‘organic’, ‘vegan’, etc. Which is isn’t a lie! The problem is that seed oils have the potential to experience oxidative stress when ingested and/or applied to the skin. Why? In simple terms, our bodies are warm, which makes for the perfect environment for oxidation with these unstable oils.

So, what does this mean? Unstable oils generate free radicals which can cause early aging.

An oxidized oil may moisturize your skin nicely, but within the long-term, its absorption (or consumption) may lead to cell and connective damage to the tissues, age stains, thyroid suppression along with other hormonal imbalance. {via}

Enough of the info…now on to the dirty list…

Here are the oils most used in skincare that are polyunsaturated:

  • Oils from nuts and seeds
  • Rosehip oil
  • Seabuckthorn oil
  • Almond oil
  • Flax seed oil
  • Sunflower oil
  • Chia seed oil
  • Passion fruit oil 
  • Grapeseed oil
  • Hemp seed oil

Reading labels is SO important whether it’s your food or your skincare. The oils that I personally love for skincare are:

♡ Biossance Squalane <– I just wrote a blog post about the best Squalane oil ever. It is 100% saturated and not comedogenic. It can be used on any skin type.

♡ Acure Marula Oil: Seals-in hydration and softens skin, offers antioxidant protection, has anti-inflammatory effects, has some antibacterial properties.

♡ Jojoba oil: I use jojoba oil every night to remove my makeup. It’s so hydrating and just feels so luxe on the skin.

Are there PUFA-free products you like? Please share!

xx, Lynn

Real Talk, Wellness

First & foremost, I’m not a doctor & I’m not trying to be. I’m just sharing my health journey & what works for me. Please do your own research, take what resonates, and leave what you don’t.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk liver. No, not raw or cooked liver. Because YUCCCCK. I’m talking about beef liver capsules.

Why? As I learned about the major benefits of organ meats, I was intrigued but could absolutely NOT stomach the idea of consuming actual liver or any other organ meat in it’s natural form. No way in hell. And that’s how I got to discovering liver supplements.

Beef live supports:

♡ Healthy Teeth, Gums, Skin & Hair

♡ Healthy Joints, Ligaments & Tendons

♡ Collagen Production

♡ Energy Metabolism

♡ Immune Function

♡ Heart, Brain & Liver Health 

I started taking 4 capsules per day with breakfast, and after about 4 weeks I started to notice positive changes: I had more energy, my posterior tibial tendonitis that I’d had for almost a year went away, my nails got stronger, and my hair is thicker and shinier than EVER.

I can’t make this shit up. I was pretty shocked that my muscular issue noted above went away after physical therapy, rest, and icing, only for none of those things to have a huge impact until I started taking the beef liver capsules.

Beef liver is totally a nutritional powerhouse. It contains a large amount of high-quality protein, which is an easily absorbed form of iron, all of the B vitamins (including B12 and folic acid), as well as vitamin A, many copper, zinc, chromium, phosphorous and selenium, and essential fatty acids.

I had to share Ancestral Supplements Beef Liver Supplements with you because I believe in them and the company and they’ve been such a fab addition to my diet and my life.

We will definitely continue the conversation on supplements, tinctures, etc. – I love this shit & I know a lot of you do too. Please share your rec’s below if you have them!

Hope you’re having a fabulous week!

xx, Lynn

Real Talk, Wellness

With the way the world is right now, wellness is at the top of a lot of people’s minds. I recorded a podcast to share how my wellness routine has evolved…like which wellness routines, products, and hacks I am sticking to on a daily basis.

Here are a couple of the things I talk about in the episode:

Getting outside everyday

When California first went under stay-at-home orders, I kind of felt frozen and didn’t get out much. As the months went on and my gym was closed, I begrudgingly started to run outside. At first, I hated it. SO MUCH. But now, it’s one of the best parts of my day. I found a couple of spots I love in my neighborhood; both open spaces that are so peaceful. Breathing in fresh air and being in nature has been so grounding for me. I usually start off by listening to a meditation and then I do my HIIT run for about 45 minutes.

It’s addicting in the best way.

Some of the benefits of being in nature on the daily:

♡ Can improve your short-term memory

♡ de-stresses

♡ Reduces inflammation

♡ helps eliminate fatigue

♡ Fights depression and anxiety

♡ Protects your vision

♡ Boosts your immune system

♡ Lowers blood pressure

{via}

Red light therapy

Red light therapy is also known as RLT, photobiomodulation (PBM), low level light therapy (LLLT), biostimulation, and photonic stimulation or light box therapy.

Red light therapy uses specific wavelengths of light to accomplish various outcomes.

Studies have shown that different wavelengths affect the body in different ways, and the most effective wavelengths of red light seem to be between 650-850 nm.

These specific wavelengths of red light create a biochemical affect in our cells that serves to increase mitochondrial function. This improves ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production in the body.

Why should that matter?

ATP is the source of energy for every cell in the body. Without it, we don’t function at all. Without enough of it, we don’t function well.

When your red light(s’s wavelengths range is between 650-850, the light penetrates about 8-10 millimeters into the skin which can positively affect all skin layers, blood vessels, lymphs, and hair follicles.

These are all evidence-based benefits:

♡ Beneficial for skin to reduce eczema, rosacea, and acne

♡ Stimulates slow healing wounds.

♡ Helps fade scars and stretch marks.

♡ Can prevent recurring cold sores, or herpes simplex.

♡ Red light activates the lymphatic system for potentially improved detoxification.

♡ It helps to repair sun damage.

♡ Helps with sleep.

Personally I have noticed that I am getting WAY better sleep and I feel more energized in the morning using red light bulbs. The only lights in our bedroom are red, so if the lights are on, they are red and we only use them at night and just allow the natural sunlight to provide light during the day.

Adrenal cocktail

What if I told you there is a cocktail that could make you feel better? Ok, it’s a MOCKTAIL, but it’s just as good. The adrenal cocktail provides energy while helping to offset stress and even infections.

It’s called the Adrenal Cocktail because it caters to your adrenals. The adrenal gland is located just above the kidneys and is vital for regulating different hormone levels including cortisol, aldosterone and adrenaline. These hormones control the body’s energy levels, including the ability to increase your blood pressure or heart rate to respond to stressful situations. When these hormones aren’t balanced, you can feel tired and stressed. {via}

Managing your hormone levels is so important and drinking this fabulous cocktail has so many benefits on top of managing stress. I tell you the full recipe on the podcast!

♡ LISTEN HERE for all the wellness tips ♡

xx, Lynn

Wellness

What if I told you there is a cocktail that could make you feel better? Ok, it’s a MOCKTAIL, but it’s just as good. The adrenal cocktail provides energy while helping to offset stress and even infections.

So before I get into the recipe, here’s some info on adrenals + biochemistry…

The adrenal gland is located just above the kidneys and is vital for regulating different hormone levels including cortisol, aldosterone and adrenaline. These hormones control the body’s energy levels, including the ability to increase your blood pressure or heart rate to respond to stressful situations. When these hormones aren’t balanced, you can feel tired and stressed. {via}

Managing your hormone levels is so important and drinking this fabulous cocktail has so many benefits on top of managing stress.

Ok, so what’s in the Adrenal Cocktail?

There are many different recipes out there, but this is my go-to. The adrenal cocktail is a concoction of essential vitamins and minerals to support the adrenals on a foundational level. Here’s what you’ll need:

Fresh tangerine juice: Or orange. I prefer tangerine because it’s more tangy and I love the sour-sweet flavor. Tangerines and oranges have very similar mineral contents and both are packed with Vitamin C which is an essential nutrient especially in a time of stress. Vitamin C also boosts the immune system.

Full fat coconut cream: The stable, saturated fatty acids in coconut milk helps to stabilize blood sugar levels and provide your body with the energy it needs. I use Whole Foods’ 365 organic unsweetened coconut cream.

White sea salt (Fleur de Sel if we’re getting really specific)- Despite common belief, salt and iodine are essential nutrients. The minerals are essential electrolytes, which are critical in energy production, blood pressure, and adrenal function. I use Fleur de Sel salt because it is the purest form of salt you can get. It contains absolutely no gypsum or other impurities from the sea. Plus it tastes far superior than your typical sea salt.

I highly recommend drinking this adrenal cocktail in your favorite cocktail glass. Because why not?

When do drink the adrenal cocktail

The typical advice is to take the adrenal cocktail twice a day around 10 am and then at 2 or 3 pm. Why? Because these are the times when the adrenals are depleted of minerals and need to be replenished.

The recipe:

  • Fresh squeezed tangerine juice (I don’t measure)
  • 2 tbsp coconut cream
  • 1/2 tsp felur de sel

Cheers!

xx, Lynn

Wellness

The new year is here and it’s the perfect time to detox your products – from the kitchen to your vanity. 

Greenwashing is something I’ve been wanting to write about for a long time. I learned about the term around the time I downloaded Think Dirty – if you are into learning about the ingredients found in your favorite products, you HAVE to download this app.

Anyway. If you’re wondering WTF greenwashing is, essentially it means that a company claims that a product is environmentally friendly when it is not.

Let’s dig a little deeper, k?

Story time…

I had recently downloaded the Think Dirty App and went around my house scanning items to see how toxic (or not) they were. One of the worst products I scanned was Mrs. Meyers hand wash – the scent was Rose. The rating came back from Think Dirty and it was NOT GOOD. I proceeded to look at other Mrs. Meyers scents and products and they were all on varying levels of being toxic.

What’s cool about Think Dirty is that it provides non-toxic alternatives for your favorite products that are “dirty”. So I swapped out Mrs. Meyers for Puracy products and LOVE them.

Cambridge Dictionary says greenwashing is designed “to make people believe that your company is doing more to protect the environment than it really is.”

There are countless other case studies across all industries though – those that are not sustainable/are toxic, and serve as examples of greenwashing — like the meat mega-giant Tyson, who got busted for false claims about antibiotic-free chickens. Or the fossil fuel giant BP (who changed their name to Beyond Petroleum and put solar panels on their gas stations) and then got called out for their green misdirection, and of course Coke, who has been accused of greenwashing through ‘natural’ sugar claims that it started marketing as a way to attract more health-conscious consumers.

There are a few tried and true (and super obvious) tactics that companies that partake in greenwashing use. Think of them as signs to stay the fuck away. Here are a few to look out for when you’re shopping:

When the color green is used on packaging

If you’ve seen the color green to imply that a product is ‘green’, you’ve seen greenwashing. Like a photo or illustration of a leaf, for example. They think you’re stupid and they’re succeeding. I say that because I fell for it, too! It doesn’t make us stupid though. The best way to know for sure is to read the ingredients list to see for yourself. Many times you’ll see an ingredients list full of shitty chemicals with the illustrated leaf. It’s a bunch of bullshit.

Use of the word “vegan”

Vegan literally means that animal products are not used. Great. That gives way for a million other chemicals to be used. It does not mean that a product is safe and healthy for use.

Omitting material information

Many labels stake “free of” claims, making them sound enticing in comparison to other products that may contain said compounds and chemicals. However, a particular ingredient can still be deceptively toxic if the product, package, or service contains or uses a substance that poses similar environmental risks. This tactic is especially stealthy, as it requires that we as consumers do more extensive ingredient research.

What we can do to combat greenwashing…

The best thing that you can do is check labels diligently. On food, on beauty products, kitchen products, etc. One big one to look out for is added fragrance and color additives. Those are the easiest to spot, but if your’e wondering about a particular ingredient listed, do further research on it before making your purchase. I’ve also begun researching companies, their CEO’s, their investors, and where they source their materials and ingredients. This information is so telling. AKA: follow the money.

Lastly, download Think Dirty as the app goes over all ingredients used and their safety.

xx, Lynn