So the other day at the Farmer's Market I purchased some local honey to try to help alleviate my springtime allergies (when I asked on Insta-story about whether taking bee pollen capsules would work some of you guys suggested eating local honey). So we'll see if that works. But I also watched the honey episode of Rotten on Netflix (if you haven't watched it, please do because we all need to know this stuff!) and so it made me realize that being able to talk to the bee keeper about his bees and where his hives are located is super special. So yes I'm willing to pay more for legit local 100% pure honey, which I know is unadulterated by synthetic crap. I'm so grateful that my local farmer's market is so awesome. Seriously you can buy pretty much everything there from grass fed beef to responsibly caught fish from Santa Cruz to even goat meat.
Speaking of Netflix documentaries, I also just finished watching The Magic Pill, which basically gives evidence for the dangers of low fat high carb diets and instead promotes a high fat low carb diet (also known as a ketogenic diet). And I gotta say they turned me into a believer. After having done the South Beach Diet in my youth (and losing quite a bit of weight) and doing the Whole30 diet a couple years ago (where I felt amazing after and realized that dairy was not doing me any favors), I have to say low-carb, full healthy fats and whole foods are the way to go. Processed food and sugar are unfortunately killers. Also if you are looking to lose weight, forget the gym and just work on your diet (of course exercise helps but without the right diet you still won't lose that belly pooch). Currently I'm doing a Whole7 and it might be placebo but my allergies have gotten better (starting from day 3, I stopped taking benadryl at night which I was taking to be able to breathe without allergy caused congestion). Or it could also just be nearing the end of allergy season (because once summer hits, I'm good). {Update: If you've been following along on my insta-stories, I ended up doing a Whole5.5 because I hate being the one with dietary restrictions when out with friends and also the wine was too good to pass up. I however did again have to go back to benadryl at night so I'm back to no sugar and alcohol for the time being}
As I mentioned in last week's post, I'm trying to do Meditation May right now where I meditate everyday in May (no matter how long and no judgements on the quality of each session). And so far I'm loving it. I try to knock it out first thing in the morning (instead of staring at my phone first thing in the morning I meditate right there in bed, I lay there focusing on my breathe) or I do it while I'm stuck in traffic (which makes traffic so much more pleasant and I become a much nicer driver). And already I feel like I can see results. For example, one of my Instagram post got waaay less likes than usual and subsequently less traffic to one of my Everlane review posts. And it started to get me down, but then I just went "Wait a minute, who cares! The purpose of Instagram is to build a community and to be able to communicate with like minded people. So what if your likes are low? Fuhgettaboudit!" And you know what, just like that it was no big deal as it should have been. Also I've been feeling daily bursts of utter gratefulness, which I'm pretty sure comes from the meditation practice. It just makes me wonder what a daily meditation practice for a year could bring (would I be a changed person? Perhaps maybe even enlightened?! lol probably not).
Anyway I hope you guys are all having a good weekend and Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there as well as all those who nurture and mother their fellow humans. I think this world could use more loved and cared-for people and that begins with mothers and nurturers. So let's celebrate them and show them our gratitude everyday, but especially today! :)