2018 - Coming "Om" to Wellness and Well-Being

Close your eyes.  Take in a long, slow, deep breath.  Inhale the feeling of a calm, peaceful ocean breeze. Hold it for a few moments. Now exhale the day's stress - the overwhelm, overwork, and overthinking we're all experiencing to some degree or another.  Say ahhh (out loud, if you can) as you let it all go.  In Silicon Valley, we have a lot of dot.coms.  What we need is dot.calm!

So here we are, all seeking out wellness of body, mind, and spirit.  And there's a major movement toward food that nourishes and supports a healthier way of thinking, living, and being.  What used to be considered "wooo wooo" has made its way into the mainstream. Tonics, teas, shots, and now dusts (not dust bunnys) are here to cleanse our systems and boost immunity (Yikes, don't we need it during this dreadful flu season?).  These healing foods and elixirs are readily available for purchase, delivery, or can even be homemade (to insure no additives are used):

Ginger Shot
A ginger shot is a great, easy-to-whir-up potion (shotglass-sized) to help rid us of inflammation.  It's also said to help with chronic pain and nausea.  Now if you add lemon, you're getting a zing of Vitamin C as well.  You can make this recipe using only 2 ingredients in your blender (and, no, you don't need $100 worth of juicing equipment).  We are currently serving this up in our Santa Cruz County corporate cafes.

Ingredients-
.  1 healthy knob of ginger root
.  1 lemon, juiced (organic, of course)
.  1 piece of cheesecloth to strain it

Directions-
.  Peel and cut the ginger into small pieces
.  Add about 4 tablespoons of water
.  Whir it up in the blender
.  Strain through the cheesecloth and mix with lemon juice
.  Add a teeny bit of honey too, if you are so inclined

Craft Brewed Kombucha
This fizzy, fermented drink is believed to aid in natural detoxification, improve your digestion, and help stimulate immune function.  Some say when combined with turmeric it can even help fight disease.  Craft brewers are now creating this bubbly beverage with inventive new flavors, such as chicory, elderflower, coffee, acai, cucumber, mint, and lemon. Hey, you can even get it on tap.  Cheers!

Moon Juice Dusts
The company Moon Juice sells a whole line of products called dusts.  I'm intrigued by their "Good Night Dust," made with chamomile, ziziphus, polygala, schisandra, and organic stevia. I read a review claiming that the ingredients have a calming, soothing effect on the nervous system.  Since sleep sometimes eludes me, I must admit to being curious.  And we all know how important sleep is to health and well-being.

Salt Baths and Salt Lamps 
You can clear your energy field with a soak in the tub if you just add a few handfuls of fine sea salt.  Take a 20-30 minute relaxing bath and be rid of the day's stress.  Or try putting a Himalayan salt lamp on your desk at work to bring a calming effect to your surroundings. According to Dr. Axe, it may aid in air purification, reduction in electromagnetic radiation and airborne infections, and ease of allergy symptoms.

So, take a "shot" at wellness and clean eating and come "om" to peace and well-being.  Oh, and buy yourself a bouquet of flowers and play an inspirational anthem (I love This Is Me from "The Greatest Showman CD).  Your vibe will instantly uplift.