Monday, December 15, 2014

Bulletproof Coffee aka BUTTER Coffee

All the cool kids in town have jumped on the bulletproof coffee train.  While it's become a bit of a Paleo trend to pop some butter and/or coconut oil in your coffee, as far as I know Dave Asprey is the one that 'invented' bulletproof coffee based on his experience drinking yak butter tea in Tibet.  Just a standard vacay.  For his coffee he uses his beans, which he created to avoid the mold that is apparently prevalent in a lot of mass market coffee beans, grassfed butter or ghee, and his MCT oil which is a concentrated version of coconut oil.  If you want to know about the science of it read his book or go here: Bulletproof

I'm not a scientist- I took astronomy as my science credit (and didn't really kill it, truth be told).  All I know is how it makes me feel- pretty fucking good.  And as a delicate flower who tends to get jittery and crash if I have normal coffee, even if it is an artisanal almond milk latte, it's nice being able to drink coffee again.  While selling his own coffee brand might sound shamelessly self-promoting, I actually buy the mold/ mycotoxin issue with coffee beans.  Do you know how long Starbucks beans have been sitting around?  And have you noticed how sometimes you feel fucking amazing after a cappuccino, and other times like straight up garbage?  Just me then?  Cool.  Regardless I am pro anything that supports healthy fats and whole foods, and it fills me up so much that I usually don't eat until lunch.  I don't like to skip meals but I believe I've effortlessly lost a bit of weight drinking this stuff despite the fact that it's probably the most caloric cup of coffee you can have.  But we all know calories are kind of bullshit by this point, no?  ALSO it seems to kill sugar cravings and hypoglycemic crashes.  And that dirty hippie actress princess Shailene Woodley is into it. If me + Shailene doesn't sell you than GTFO of here.



If you try it let me know how you feel.  The book is also worth a read although if he thinks he's going to convince the world to give up cheese and ice cream forever he may be sadly mistaken.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

the perils of irritability treatment

I'm super into Tata Harper. Her skin looks like milk and honey and basically like Heidi grew up, stopped eating cheese on toast (because gluten, dairy, hello) and but still maintained her youthful mountain radiance.  THAT is how good it looks.  She makes this stuff on a farm in Vermont or something and you can tell.  If anything shows the efficacy of organic skincare it's her face.

I'm already a big fan of her Resurfacing Mask for glowy skin before a hot date/ crowded night in a bar discussing work with friends, and I recently purchased the Aromatic Irritability Treatment before a long flight.  The good: it smells like a delight, is potent, comes in an adorable roll-on, is probably made of moonbeams, and most importantly-- it works.  It helps chill me out at work when I'm feeling irritable and anxious, and it is particularly nice on long flights with smelly, stale air.  I'm slowly converting my officemates to the wonders of this 100% natural treatment.  The only minor downside is that this stuff is strong and especially if you get a crew wearing it others will most definitely know.  As a person with a healthy amount of selfishness I am totally fine having other people notice the scent but I've started using it sparingly just for my own well-being (and so that the cloud of scent doesn't overwhelm me).  A little goes a long way. 

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

the joy of the detox bath.

My body has been feeling extra toxic lately.  Like a hangover gone awry, despite the generally virtuous way I've been living.  Copious naps and infrared saunas (and watching Gilmore Girls in bed all day) help these sorts of things, but with my job and the ensuing exhaustion after hours, none of these things are really happening during the week.  Enter-- the detox bath.  I am a little bit obsessed, despite the fact that I share my bathtub with a male roommate who, while lovely, is also a male type human.  Anyways, my love is so great that I am down to (cursorily) clean the tub pre-bath.  Because when I get in there with a cup of epsom salts and a really delightful bath oil and just sweat for 20 minutes, I come out feeling a lot better with glowing skin and open pores.  An added bonus is that I kind of feel like I've exercised, and even sweat for a while after, which is more than I can say for any exercise I do.  (This is me questioning my lack of exercise. I suppose tottering around Beverly Hills in high heels on my lunch break doesn't count).  Anyways.  If you are going to do a detox bath, and this doesn't have to be because of a health issue, but just because you're tired or hungover or stressed or just want glowy skin and to feel like a young Hollywood ingenue bunking at her manager's house in the Hills until she gets her big break, I suggest the following recipe from Dr. Alex:
-1 cup of epsom salts, any plain drugstore brand will do
-a couple of tablespoons of baking soda
-a delicious bath oil or magical bath salt type thing (for scent, color, and luxurious feel)

My current favorites are from Aromatherapy Associates and Michelle Roques-Oneill's Therapie brand.  They are both fabulous and also fairly expensive.  But a freaking delight.  And you're worth it!  Michelle is I think a bit of a genius.  I used to have a delightful aura spray from her which was stolen by a minx at the office (or possibly misplaced) however I trust anything she does.  The ingredients list is always impeccable and it just has good vibes.  My personal favorite is her Himalayan detox salts, which really were my introduction to the detox bath.  The ingredients list is just Himalayan sea salt and quality essential oils, but the scent is spot on and the packaging is a delight.  If I could afford the habit I would pour them exclusively into my bath instead of epsom salts.  Also if you read this copy and aren't sold then you are frankly a smelly robot: "The pace of modern life can stretch both mind and body to the maximum. The over-indulgences we use as comfort to combat this can often lead to us feeling even more jaded and lethargic. But help is at hand - a bath with Therapie Himalayan Detox Salts is the perfect release to daily overload."

Aromatherapy Associates has a host of natural products, but I am all about the bath oils that come in a multitude of scents that all claim to do different things.  I say claim as if AA (because we're friends like that) claims to have invented the internet, when really they accomplish what they say in my experience.  Through AA I've learned that bath oils can have purposes beyond relaxation.  I am a huge supporter of their Revive Evening Bath & Shower Oil, and my friends can attest to that as I often like to jump in an Uber for a night out still steaming and smelling like a freaking delight from it.  Baths are a surprisingly amazing energizer even as they destress, hence them now being known as the lazy woman's workout (by me).  Next on my shopping list is Inner Strength because I love the idea of getting it through a bath.  Like many products I adore, both brands are sold at http://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/