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By Amy Zhang November 8, 2018 in Lifestyle, Wellness 1 Comment

Wellness Must Have: Hum Vitamins

Slight confession – I am not the best at taking my vitamins. At least, I wasn’t until I tried Hum Nutrition. Taking vitamins is one of those things that I know is “good for me” (or at the very least, doesn’t hurt to do), but I have a tendency to forget. Whenever I start a new vitamin routine, I’m great about taking them for a week or so before I fall off the habit. Last month I got extremely sick for over a week – think sleep 12-14 hours a night, can hardly move or eat kind of sick.

My body just gave out and I knew I had to take better care of myself.

Since then I’ve made a huge effort not only to adjust some of my habits (particularly around adjusting stress and making sure to get enough sleep), I also started being much more diligent about getting on a regular vitamin routine. I’m not going to lie, it was the cute packaging and branding of Hum that caught my eye initially – but after a month of taking a recommended regimen of vitamins every day, I felt I had to share my experience and how – spoiler alert – positive it’s been for my health and wellbeing.

I’m all about putting in the work to feel your best, but something about taking vitamins has always felt like a bit of a shortcut or cop out to me. I knew that with my work schedule my immune system and sleep schedule would need some help – long haul flights adjusting to cross country time zones on a weekly basis definitely messes with your overall health – so I took the quick assessment on the Hum website to get recommendations for which products from Hum’s comprehensive line of vitamins were best suited for my needs and lifestyle. I picked up the products that were recommended for me, as well as a few other that a friend suggested.

My Hum Nutrition Regimen:

Uber Energy

These claim to help support consistent energy through adrenal strength. What I will say is taking these every day allowed me to cut down on caffeine and feel more balanced overall. Would definitely take these again.

Flatter Me

Supposedly these contain digestive enzymes that help you break down some less than good for you foods (read: sugar, carbs, dairy, etc…) and help you debloat. I didn’t notice too much of a difference taking these, but other reviews online are stellar. I also take a regular probiotic, which may already take care of a lot of my digestive issues.

Air Patrol

I took these as a preventative measure against getting sick since I was traveling so much at the time. It saved me from having to take too many vitamin C supplements and I haven’t been sick (knock on wood) since, despite numerous late nights and cross country flights.

Moody Bird

Probably one of my favorite supplements I added to my routine. After tracking my cycle for the past few months (highly recommend the “Clue” app if you haven’t checked it out already), I noticed that my mood swings and cravings would get very out of control during certain times of month. After taking Moody Bird I’ve honestly noticed a huge difference in my mood and cravings. As someone who grew up with a lot of Eastern medicine and remedies, the ingredients are definitely up my alley.

Beauty zzZz

Melatonin isn’t for everyone (have been told by multiple people that they get weird dreams or feel groggy after taking it), I personally have not had issues with it and found that it really helped calm my nerves and sleep soundly on the nights I needed it most.

Glow Sweet Glow

Not pictured because, um, they’re all gone. The little kid in me loves gummy vitamins, these are legitimately the yummiest ones I’ve ever had. I truly looked forward to eating these every day and was sad when I ran out (note to self: repurchase today!). Oh, and they’re filled with vitamin C and E – which are so good for your skin and make you GLOW!

Shop My Hum Nutrition Regimen:

By Amy Zhang July 13, 2018 in Wellness 3 Comments

FOOD CRAVINGS and What They Mean

Food cravings are soooo real. You know, that feeling you get when all you can think about is a specific food and you just have to have it. I’ve found myself wondering about this recently so I did some digging to find out what it is exactly, how to change what you crave (can you?) and what specific cravings might mean.

If you’ve ever wondered about this, take a look at what I learned below.

What is a food craving?

How I understand it, food cravings are basically the brain trying to communicate with you. One theory is that when you see a certain food associated with an award or a positive experience, it triggers a happy memory. This can then make you crave that food again because of its association with happiness (this is part of why we stress eat).

Another theory suggests that cravings happen when your body is telling you it’s low on a certain nutrient. So when you think you’re craving chocolate, it might actually mean you need magnesium, B vitamins or essential fatty acids. More on this below under how to change what you crave.

Can you change what you crave and why do you crave certain things?

While there are psychological reasons (like anxiety) that can cause cravings, when it comes to recognizing what your body needs, I think there are a couple tricks to avoiding all the sugary and fattening foods we usually go for when a craving strikes. All you have to do is be a little more intentional about recognizing your craving and learning what your body is actually asking you for. Sounds easier than it is, but you really can help yourself out here! Below are tastes, or types of food you might crave, and what your body is trying to tell you it’s running low on.

Craving: chocolate

Needs: B vitamins, magnesium, essential fatty acids

Alternative: dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher), smoothies with unsweetened cocoa

Craving: sugar

Needs: chromium, magnesium or water

Alternative: fresh fruit, water—watermelon would be a great way to combine the two

Craving: salty

Needs: electrolytes, B vitamins

Alternative: nuts and seeds

Craving: fried foods

Needs: essential fatty acids

Alternative: healthy fats from nuts and seeds, leafy greens, whole grains or eggs

How are cravings related to anxiety?

If you’ve ever struggled with stress eating/cravings being triggered by anxiety and feeling overwhelmed, this is for you. Unfortunately, when we’re stressed our body searches for ways to boost serotonin, and carbs will do just the trick—temporarily at least. This means fatty and sugary foods make us feel better in those stressed out times, but only until our blood sugar crashes and we might even end up feeling worse, both physically and psychologically. This is why I think it’s important to look back at the alternatives I mentioned above. Because if you do reach for food during anxious times, you have some healthy options.

Can you stop food cravings?

From what I’ve gathered, there may not be a way to completely stop food cravings. Bummer, I know! But, the good news is that there are a couple solutions on how to deal with them without going on a major binge. The first solution is what I’ve mentioned above, which is searching out those healthier alternatives and gaining a greater understanding of what your body is actually telling you when a craving arises.

The second solution, especially if your cravings are triggered by stress and anxiety, would be to simulate happiness to ignite serotonin production without having to eat. Do the things you enjoy—talk to friends and family, exercise, play with your pets—anything that brings you even just a little bit of joy.

Hopefully this helps the next time you feel a craving coming on!

By Amy Zhang July 10, 2018 in Wellness 2 Comments

Everything You Need to Know About: Alkaline Food

There’s a lot of hype on the Internet and in the health and wellness world about alkaline foods and their kind of “magical” effect on the body. Which, of course, means there’s also a lot of skepticism. If you’ve never heard of this concept or aren’t sure what alkaline foods are, strap in, because I have some information for you!

To put it simply, after our bodies burn up the food we consume for energy, there’s a kind of “ash” left over. That ash can either be acidic, alkaline or neutral depending on what the food was. Here’s where the magical part comes in. Some people say alkaline ash acts as a sort of protection for your body (more on these benefits below), whereas acidic ash can weaken your immune system and make you more susceptible to diseases. Your ash can also be considered neutral, which is said to have no effects.

If some of these words are taking you back to high school science class, it’s because all of this goes back to the pH level of your body (remember learning about that in 9th grade?). A 0-7 pH level means you’re acidic, 7 is neutral and 7-14 means you’re alkaline (or “basic” as it was probably referred to in your science class).

So now you might be wondering how to tell if you’re acidic, neutral or alkaline. Here in lies the mystery because there really isn’t a super reliable way to tell. The stomach has lots of acids to help break down food, which is totally healthy and natural. But the blood is slightly alkaline to help maintain cellular function. Neither of these change, nor do you want them to, so they’re not reliable for testing. Some say you can measure alkaline through urine, but it’s also considered pretty unreliable (according to this article and its corresponding research).

If your curiosity has been piqued, though, here are some of the benefits of an alkaline diet:

Benefits of eating alkaline food

Improved energy levels
Reduced acid reflux
Improved metabolic function
Increased antioxidant properties within the body
Anti-aging
Increased colon health

And if you’re looking to incorporate more alkaline-heavy foods into your diet consider the following:

Alkaline Food

Nuts
- Almonds
- Chestnuts
- Cashews
Vegetables
- Artichokes
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Root veggies
- Spinach
Fruits
- Lemons
- Limes
- Oranges
- Strawberries
- Blackberries
- Cantaloupe
Other
- Pumpkin seeds
- Ginger root
- Sea salt
- Parsley

Acidic foods (foods to eat less of according to the alkaline diet)

Dairy products
Alcohol
Fish
Red meat
Turkey
Added sweeteners
Eggs
Most grains

What’s your take? Do you think alkaline foods have benefits beyond just their natural nutritional value?

By Amy Zhang July 3, 2018 in Wellness 4 Comments

The Importance of Gut Health

Living in California, I’m constantly surrounded by kombucha bars, vegan options and all the gluten-free food a person could need. With all of this, plus my own desire to live a healthy lifestyle, I’ve been giving a lot of thought lately to my gut health. It’s probably not the sexiest topic out there. However, a lot of what goes on in our bodies actually leads back to having a healthy gut.

But before I dive into why it’s so important to maintain your gut health. Let’s talk about how to make sure you’re on top of it or restore it if you’ve gotten off track lately.

First, make sure you’re taking a probiotic.

You can find these in yogurt and kombucha, but you’ll want to watch the added sugar in these foods. Other options are cultured vegetables like kimchi and sauerkraut or miso and tempeh. Or you can simply take a probiotic supplement.

Next, you’ll want to pay attention to the amount of processed food you’re eating. Processed food usually means lots of added sugar, which causes indigestion aka bad gut health. Replace it with a few more plants that are rich in fiber and magnesium and you’ll be well on your way to a healthy gut.

Besides all the other basic stuff like exercising and staying hydrated, you’ll also want to pay special attention to the amount of antibiotics you’re consuming. Hence the “anti” in antibiotics. They’re called this because they actually kill the good bacteria in your gut from probiotics. So next time you come down with something, think carefully about whether or not an antibiotic is completely necessary.

OK! I think we’re ready to move on to why all of this is so important. Like I said above, it’s kind of crazy what issues go on with our bodies that could actually be remedied with better gut health, so I hope you find this list as interesting as I do.

+ It builds up your immune system

According to what I’ve read, there’s good bacteria and bad bacteria living in our guts. The good bacteria can actually help your body heal and recover from being sick. And when it’s maintained and consistently produced by your healthy gut, it builds your immunity so you don’t get sick as often. Sounds pretty amazing, right?

+ Weight management

As mentioned, this isn’t exactly a sexy topic, but having good gut health keeps you regular and your digestive system running smoothly, which ultimately helps with weight management. The anti-inflammatory nature of a diet that supports good gut health also assists with keeping bloating and inflammation to a minimum.

+ Can help prevent stress

This is one of the most interesting things I’ve learned about gut health. I would have never guessed it was associated with stress, but it is. When you have lots of the good bacteria hanging out in your gut like I mentioned above, it can help reduce cortisol levels, which means less stress. If anything were to motivate me to pay more attention to my gut, this would probably be it.

+ Potentially reduced seasonal allergies

This is another fact that really surprised me. Without sounding too science-y, basically how I understand it, is like this: When we get seasonal allergies, it’s because our immune system is having a reaction to an external factor (like pollen). And if our immune system is already functioning at a lower level because of an unbalanced gut, the allergies are more likely to kick in and be a bit more extreme than they would for someone with a healthy gut.

That was a lot of information, but all interesting and helpful I hope!

What are your thoughts on gut health? Do you make a concentrated effort with it?

By Amy Zhang June 15, 2018 in Wellness 2 Comments

Relax With Copaiba Essential Oil

Copaiba Essential Oil | by The Luxi Look

There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding copaiba oil lately. So I wanted to take a minute to break down what I know about it. There’s some really interesting information out there I’ll admit I’m pretty intrigued. And, as you probably already know, I’m a big fan of essential oils. Consequently, it seemed fitting to dig in on this topic.

Details on Copaiba Essential Oil

To start with the basics, copaiba oil comes from the sap of a tree found in South America. Also, It’s been used throughout Brazil in ointments and other treatments for diseases going back to the 16th century. Needless to say, it’s been around for a while.

There’s also been a little bit of controversy surrounding copaiba oil because of its cannabinoid properties. However, it’s important to note that it’s 100% THC free (which is what gives you that high feeling). In addition, the cannabinoid found in copaiba is BCP, which is actually what gives the oil its alleged health benefits.

And speaking of benefits, here is a list of all the ones associated with copaiba oil:

Copaiba essential oil benefits

Powerful antioxidant
Boosts immune system/response
Liver support
Cardiovascular support
Increased respiratory function
Increased neurological function
Provides relief to blemishes and irritated skin

How to use copaiba essential oil

Historically, Brazilian natives used copaiba topically like I mentioned above, but they also ingested it for internal healing. Both of these methods are still recommended today. A few of the suggested uses include the following:

Add the oil to your toner or apply it to your face directly to help with blemishes
Create a blend and roll it onto your wrists
Add a few drops to tea, water or juice
Last but not least, you can diffuse copaiba essential oil, but remember you only receive benefits through diffusion for approximately 30 minutes

The benefits and varied applications of copaiba definitely make it intriguing and it sounds like it’s definitely worth giving a try.

Have you tried copaiba essential oil? What benefits did you experience, if any?

Wellness