​Navigating the Wellness Noise & Support for Spring

What Nourishes You?

Even after 13+ years of working in the wellness world, I still get bamboozled by product-overload and the constant push to buy the many must-have things.

If I’m told that [insert product] will banish bloat, clear up my skin, knock me out for the best sleep of my life, remineralize my water, uplevel my strength-training game, etc etc, then how I am supposed to A. choose and B. budget for all of this?

If you’ve ever felt equally exhausted by this type of thing, I have posts on navigating Wellness Overwhelm and Relationship with Food and Health that might be useful.

But whenever I find myself fretting over which magnesium to try, what movement regimen to follow, or how much salt to add to my water (how much is too much?!), I come back to the time-tested practices of ancient wisdom.

Wellness is Personal

In one of my first Ayurvedic assessments with Divya Alter, I proudly listed my dietary choices and daily routines. She took my pulse, listened, and then recommended personalized insights like ingredients and lifestyle practices I hadn’t yet considered.

This wasn’t because I was doing things “wrong,” but more so that I was blindly following trends that influencers and various dietary theories were tooting the horn of – even if these things weren’t actually working for me personally.

For example: In that same session, Divya recommended not only Ayurvedic products and practices, but also a more personalized approach in general in lieu of reading what a blogger wrote about how a particular green juice would change my life.

Absolutely no shade to influencers or bloggers – I aim to be a positive influence and share useful recommendations myself.

But if you’re neither authentically sharing nor consciously consuming, then the products and practices might be null and void (i.e. meaningless clutter).

Influencing & Consuming

We all influence in some way – whether via social media, parenting, relationships, or work. So if you’re sharing products and lifestyle habits, it’s worth asking:

• Is this truly authentic to me? Am I doing this thing because it feels good and I genuinely want to try it – not because it’s trendy or because someone told me to?
• Do I believe it enough to share it with my community? Is it something I feel could benefit others who might be in similar situations?

As a consumer, it’s worth considering how to:

• Be mindful of what and who you’re consuming. Spring clean your belongings, subscriptions, who you follow on social platforms, what podcasts you listen to, etc.
• Stay true to what works for and is authentic to you. Don’t panic-purchase an extra-pricey red-light mask just because someone swears it will solve all your problems. Calmly invest in what you feel would truly nourish you.

(I stand by my claim that baking soda and apple cider vinegar might be two of the few multi-purpose products that might in fact actually answer several prayers…)

Wellness Doesn’t Have to Cost a Fortune

We are all free to spend our money however we want – especially if it feels genuine to us – but there are also many ways to take care of ourselves without coughing up our savings. I know this from personal experience and am happy to share budget-friendly resources if you ever need them.

What matters – in my very humble opinion and regardless of the price – is two things:

1. Connecting to yourself, your values, and your needs. Sometimes I opt to spend more on something for the sake of quality and ecological considerations.
2. Discerning what will nourish you physically and financially. Sometimes I opt out of buying something completely because it’s not in my budget or it just doesn’t feel aligned, so I investigate more feasible ways to care for myself.

And as tempting as it is to seek solutions outside of ourselves and give them all the power, it’s also imperative to remember that true wellbeing is an inside job, too.

As Divya wrote in her first cookbook:

The ancient Vedic texts of India state that our whole body is built around two things: the food that comes into the mouth and the words that come out of the mouth – both must be healthy and harmonious for the well-being of ourselves and others… Healthy food promotes healthy thoughts, conversations, and relationships that ripple into sustaining healthy families, communities, and societies.

“What To Eat For How You Feel”

Ancient Wisdom Insights for Spring

In the meantime – if personalized, time-tested wellness perks you up – here are two informative posts for spring from the Ayurvedic practitioners I’ve worked with:

1. Upgrade Your Spring Season with Ayurveda: Tips and tools from the ever-wise and incredibly passionate Dr. Marianne Teitelbaum – including seasonal food and beverages, lifestyle habits, and general wellbeing practices.
2. Feel Fresh with Ayurvedic Spring Eats from Chef Divya Alter: Spring eats (highly recommend her cookbooks and recipes!), lifestyle tips, and year-round wellbeing insights for mind-body health.

I also love Traditional Chinese Medicine, Herbalism, and simple cultural traditions (like my Italian Grandma’s chicken soup, which we all called “Italian Penicillin”) for time-honored natural remedies.

I recommend consulting a professional if and when possible to support you as you identify what works best for you right now, especially because needs can change depending on the season and personal circumstances.

Final Disclaimers

As someone who knows the challenges of food, gut health, body-image, perfectionism, and control, remember that there is no perfect, one-size-fits-all diet or lifestyle routine.

Certain foods, practices, and supplements are not necessarily “good” or “bad” – they can all simply be utilized in special ways based on each person’s unique needs to help reinstate our innate physical and mental balance.

I also acknowledge that wellness is a privilege – not everyone has access to the same resources, which is part of a larger conversation.

Reach out if you are facing challenges and are looking for alternate ways to infuse wellness products and practices into your life.

Take Good Care

For individualized support around which food, mindfulness, and lifestyle tools work best for you and your life, ping me for a free consultation.

How will you nourish yourself this spring?

Thanks for being here 🙂

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