One of my very favorite tools in my Wellness tool belt is essential oils. I think that in 2020 most of us are familiar with EO’s but just in case, they are highly concentrated liquid derived from plants. The benefits range from immune support, easing sore muscles, and calming and soothing the mind.

I personally only love to use oils topically or aromatically and prefer not to ingest - but some brands are safe for oral consumption- please just make sure that if you are ingesting oils that they are pure and safe!

Now onto my current favorite diffuser blend. As soon as the weather starts to change and we head into cold and flu season, I start diffusing Eucalyptus. A few weeks ago I was feeling a like I wanted a little variety and grabbed a few oils on my nightstand and mixed them all up. After a few minutes of diffusing my boyfriend looked at me and commented about how nice the smell was!

He usually doesn’t notice things like that, so I had a feeling it was a winner!

Here’s a little about the oils that go into this blend and why it is a great blend for 2020 and the current season we are in!

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus is an antimicrobial oil that is used to help breathing, asthma, and fight off the common cold and respiratory ailments. It is also a great immune stimulator. I find that it helps me stay healthy BUT also avoids the dryness that comes with the use of heat in the house during the cold months.

Pink Pepper

Another favorite oil of mine is Pink Pepper. For the longest time it was my go to for dry brushing, if you are looking for a sweet scent that gives you all over body tingles this is the oil for you! Then I stumbled upon the amazing health benefits. Pink Pepper is an antiviral, and great for respiratory health as well. It is a very uplifting oil, so be mindful of how this effects you if you are diffusing at night!

Lavender

The last oil in this blend is lavender. Lavender is a great relaxing oil, and is used to treat anxiety, and promote sleep. Since I was diffusing this blend at night I thought it would be a great counterbalance to the stimulating Pink Pepper.

In my diffuser I blend 5 drops each of Eucalyptus and Pink Pepper + 3 drops of Lavender. Depending on the size of the room or diffuser you are using you may want to adjust.

The oils I use are by doTerra, but any 100% Essential Oil brand would work!

The past few weeks I have been seeing a lot about Oatly...and none of it has been good. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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There have been articles with titles like " Oatly: the New Coke" and "Some Plant based eaters are boycotting Oatly" ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Today I wanted to break talk about some of these headlines and offer up my two cents. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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So here's a little backstory - Oatly is a Swedish brand that was founded in the 1990's due to a large part of Swedish population unable to drink milk, or not wanting to support the dairy industry. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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In 2012 Oatly hired a new CEO who re-branded the milk alternative and brought it over to the US. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The re-branding placed a HEAVY focus on both health and the environment - two of the main issues they are under fire for right now! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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So Here are some things that stuck out to me

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1. Oatly adds Rapeseed Oil to their product ( AKA Canola) - we know this is highly inflammatory and linked to Alzheimer's, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and more. ⠀ After a little digging and flipping over multiple brands of Oat Milk in the grocery store - added oil was in every single store bought Oat Milk I saw. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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2. There is evidence that how they create the oatmilk and the enzyme they are adding to break down the fiber turns to maltose - which effects the blood sugar levels in the same or worse ways as HFCS. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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3. Oatly is not organic, and oats are DIRTY! A study done on oats found 7 different pesticides on them ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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4. About 10% of Oatly was recently purchased by a company that has a major impact on the Amazon Deforestation- Oatly's response was "we're convinced that if we’re to progress in the shift towards plant-based we have to involve governments and private equity firms, and steer more global capital into green investments." ⠀

So now we have almond milk that is unsafe for the bees, and Oat milk that is unsafe for us - what do we do?

We make our own.

Oatmilk in my opinion is the easiest nut milk to make. There is no soaking required and the straining process is light on the muscles!

Some things to note before buying oats:

I always look for certified GF, Organic oats (see point 3!). Oats are naturally gluten free but can become contaminated during the processing part. Bob’s Red Mill has certified GF and Organic oats.

How to make Oat Milk

1 Cup GF Organic Oats

4 Cups Filtered Water

High Speed Blender

Cheese Cloth or Nut Milk Bag

Put oats and water in blender and blend on medium - high speed for 30- 40 seconds. This is important because over blending will result in a gummy milk

Pour the milk into a nut milk bag, and squeeze gently to release all the water.

Store in a glass jar in the fridge for about 1 week.

Easy!

I’ve been out of school for so many years it’s hard to even keep track, but there is just something about this time of year that feels like a reset. Whether you’re in school, have kids in school, or feel like I do about this season shift this post is for you.

Back to school means a lot of shopping. School supplies, snacks, wardrobe, etc. Excess shopping means excess waste. At Hungry Hippie we are all about reducing our waste, and lessening the negative impact that we have on the environment, so today I am going to share with you some simple swaps and tools I use to make a more positive impact on Mama Earth!

Shop Organic

When I think of back to school I immediately think of back to school shopping. Growing up I went to Catholic school so we took a trip to Flynn O’hara and got some knee high socks and pretty much called it a day. BUT then came dress down days. Once I month I would go to the mall and find a new outfit, because “I could not be seen in the same outfit twice!” Once I was out of school and working in corporate FASHION I “had to” be on top of trends so shopping every season was essential. Now I treat myself to a few new pieces a year, but make sure that they are coming from brands that are doing the right thing. The fashion industry is a leading cause of environmental issues - from water contamination to production waste and everything in between - it is bad. My thought process is - if it’s bad for the environment it’s bad for me too - so I look for brands that are organic, sustainably sourced, and offer incentives for the environment.

PACT Organics is my go to for basics - I love their underwear. I live in their basic sweatshirt year round, and I just invested in some of their basic dresses!

TenTree plants a new tree for every item purchased! They also use organic and sustainable materials like cotton and hemp.

Allbirds is my favorite sneaker ever! Although the material is wool (technically not vegan) they work with organizations to ensure the safety of the animals when sheering ( a process that is necessary for the health of the sheep!) If wool really isn’t your thing they also have other materials available. They also share technology with the rest of the footwear industry focusing on the greater good of the planet and thinking MACRO!

Other favorites include Rothy’s, Mate the Label

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Packed Lunches

Whether your working from home or you have a hybrid student in the house, prepping lunches in advance is probably something that you will be doing to keep morning running smoothly.Packed lunches can be super wasteful, so here are some tips to help you keep that trash can from filling up!

1. Avoiding plastic sandwich bags is pretty easy these days. If you don’t mind a few extra dishes Stasher bags are my go to, but if you’re maxed out on time spent at the sink opt for Compostable paper bags instead.

2. One thing that I found very interesting when I was learning more about recycling was that Chip and Candy bags are made with mixed plastic and aluminum materials and are recycling contaminants. This means that they can not be recycled with the rest of your plastics. Back to school food shopping often includes individually packed snack bags or candy bars - one way to reduce your waste this season is to opt for larger bags and pre-pack them into reusable snack bags yourself. You can also check out TerraCycle which offers recycling options for products that would traditionally end up in a landfill.

3. Same thing goes for juice boxes and juice pouches. When possible shop for Juices in glass bottles and portion out in reusable and seal able cups!

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Supercharge Your Routine

Summertime is slow and easy, so getting back into a routine might require a little supercharging. One of the ways I supercharge my morning is by drinking Four Sigmatic mushroom coffee. I opt for the coffee with lions mane (which is great for Brain health and function!)

They also have elixirs to support the immune system, increase energy naturally, and protein drinks!

To save 10% use code - kaleismykarma - at checkout.

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Shop Second Hand

For a while I was purchasing digital books, but I love to hold and have a copy of books that I love. Once I stopped buying digital I started buying second hand. If you need a book for school, or a coworker just shared a must read there’s a few different options. Always see if you could borrow a book, or set up an office swap. I sometimes get weird and won’t lend out books, so I totally understand if people don’t want to do that. If it’s a book you think you’ll want to own check on sites like Amazon for pre-owned in good condition. You can also check out your local library for FREE reading!

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Healthy Swaps

Well it wouldn’t be a post on Hungry Hippie if we didn’t talk about healthy swaps. So much of what is considered normal in American diets is filled with sugar and unhealthy ingredients. It is time for a serious upgrade. Here are a few of my favorite swaps for American Classics:

Olipop - the perfect Soda Sub! I was never a big soda drinker, but when I tried Olipop I was HOOKED! The root beer flavor took me straight back to my childhood. Not only do they only have 2g of sugar per can, they are packed with functional ingredients designed to benefit your gut health. Healthy gut and oral microbiomes are KEY to fighting off virus’s like the flu, and COVID so keeping these diverse and strong is key to staying healthy! Olipop goes into great details discussing the benefits of their ingredients on their site so check them out! You can also save 15% off your first purchase by using this link!

Fried chips in vegetable oil will make you feel sluggish and wreck havoc on your gut. Simple swaps include Kale Chips, Siete Tortillas, Bare Chips, and Plantain Chips.

You’ll also want to be mindful of what you have for breakfast. Swap muffins, sugary cereals, and fruit juices for whole foods and healthy fat to get you through busy mornings!

My go to breakfast that is easy to prep the night before is Sweet Potato Avocado Toast with everything bagel seasoning and black beans!

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BONUS:

For an amazing roundup of eco-friendly back to school supplies this blog post was so resourceful!

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Having a healthy digestive system is one of the most important foundations for overall health . 

Healthy digestion is a body free from gas, bloating, and inflammation, and the ability to have complete bowel movements to eliminate toxins. 

While what we eat plays a role in our digestion there are some other things that you can do to make sure you are assisting your body during its intricate process.

1. Follow the 20/20 Rule. When we start to smell or even think of food our bodies start to secrete fluids that contain digestive enzymes. These enzymes are responsible for breaking down the food, and are easily washed away when we drink. So following the 20/20 rule  - no fluids 20 minutes before, during, or 20 minutes after eating - will help to keep these intact. 

2. 100 Bites. Swallowing food almost whole makes the body have to work that much harder to digest and absorb it. Taking smaller bites and chewing until it is broken down will help you body.

3. Slow down. Eating fast will cause excess air to be swallowed leaving you bloated and gassy. Try to put your fork down in between bites 

4. Take a few deep breaths before eating. Our nervous system is either in rest and digest or fight or flight. Both have their place, but only one belongs at the dinner table. Getting into a rest and digest state is critical for digestion, so take notice of where you are eating your food, and your emotions before you start eating. If you’re at work eat away from your desk, take a few deep breaths, and smile before eating.

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If you do experience any gas or bloating here are 3 things you can use to find relief fast!

1. doTerra - DigestZen. You can apply this topically or take it orally. It’s a combination of gut friendly herbs like peppermint and fennel that work to sooth digestive discomfort.

2. “L” Massage - Laying down - starting at the lower right of your belly apply gentle pressure while you move your hand to the upper right of your belly, move you hand to your upper left , and to your lower left, - you can add Digestzen if you are using that and repeat

3. Laying on the floor twist your legs to the left side, hold until you feel ready to move, and move to the right side. If you feel any pain or discomfort you should stop.