Pig Lard and Going Barefoot: My Favorite Holistic Wellness Trends

As a lover of all things holistic and a self-proclaimed crunchy girl (can’t say mama at this point!), I am all about the insurgence of holistic wellness trends. Talking more openly about how to be proactively rooted about your health has been on the rise since COVID. More and more Americans are seeing that there are a lot of pitfalls in our current medical system. Therefore, they are stepping out of the bubble of traditional reactive medicine for a more integrative approach. 

God reminds us countless times throughout scripture that He cares about our mind, body, and soul. Therefore, being proactive in maintaining the health of each is a vital form of worship. 

I plan to go more in depth on the topic of functional medicine later this year, but for now, I want to share with my readers some of my favorite trends! As well as share with you some great Instagram accounts/podcasts to listen to for more in depth information, tips, and trends. 

So without further ado: 

My Favorite Holistic Wellness Trends 

1. Sunshine

Ya’ll! The sun is literally a giant multivitamin. 

Through sunlight we receive so many benefits that can make our body and mind regulate more efficiently. We all know that the sun gives us 

• Vitamin D: which is necessary for calcium absorption in our body. 

• An improved mood

• Lower levels of anxiety/depression (Goodbye Seasonal Depressive Disorder!) 

• Increased energy

But did you know? 

Sunshine also triggers antimicrobials in your body to activate in order to better fight off viruses and infections? Talk about a cheap fix to boost your immune system!

Sunshine also directly impacts our circadian cycle. Quick science class refresh: our circadian cycle is the natural process that our bodies go through in a 24 hour cycle that wakes us up feeling refreshed and helps us go to sleep when our bodies are ready for recovery. However, living in a world with so much artificial light and being part of a society where we spend 95% of our days indoors, so many of us have failed circadian cycles. 

We are insomniacs. We wake up tired. We go to bed tired. 

We are not benefitting from our body's own natural system of regulation.. 

By spending more time in the sun you are able to reset your circadian cycle. 20-30 minutes of direct morning sun, and 20-30 minutes of direct setting sun can help your body re-regulate. Through this reregulation you will be able to say goodbye to your melatonin pills and hello to a natural refreshing night of rest. 

But Meghan! What about skin cancer? Girl, try this all natural sunscreen and get your booty outside! 

2. Real Food: Pasture Raised, Grass Finished, Butter and Lard

Food isn't always actually food.

What does that mean? It means that a lot of the things we consume on a day to day basis are highly processed and full of toxins. With little regulation and checks and balances in the food industry, many of us are unknowingly consuming large amounts of hormones, vaccines, microplastics and other toxins. 

Organic doesn’t even mean healthy anymore! 

There is no regulation stating that an organic food has to be free of pesticides, hormones injections, vaccines, etc. Cage free eggs just means that the chickens got to roam around inside a tiny cramped processing plant. The marketing on our labels isn’t always the reality. Even the age old food pyramid has been found proven to be a ploy by companies to get us to buy more of their processed products. 

 BigFood and BigAg are able to label things and sell things unchecked in this country while simultaneously selling us food that is slowly killing us. Increasing our chances of cancer, autoimmune diseases, poor gut health, and decreased metabolic function. 

Becoming more aware of what is in our food and what we are actually consuming is paramount to our holistic health. 

Pasture raised hormone/vaccine free means our chickens actually grazed in a pasture. 

Grass finished means that when the cow went to slaughter, the production plant didn’t pump them full of steroids to fatten them up. 

Butter and Lard are full of healthy saturated fats that our body can naturally breakdown compared to the highly processed indigestible seed oils plaguing our foods. 

Read your labels my friends and study up on what foods are actually that: real food. 

3. Grounding

Ever been to the ocean and just felt… connected? 

It’s because of the energy we get from being directly in contact with the Earth. The same exists for being barefoot. 

The practice of grounding throws caution to the wind and supports us spending more time interacting with the natural earth without the barrier of clothing, concrete, flooring, etc. When we interact with the electrical charge of the earth we are quite literally charging our own batteries. 

“Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being: Genesis 2:7

Humans are connected to the earth. Our bodies were created from the dust of the earth and God breathed life into us. When we die, our bodies return to the earth. This compositional relation to the natural world points to the life-giving abilities connecting directly with the earth can give to us. 

Lower inflammation. Improved sleep. Increased energy. Improved blood flow. Boosted metabolic rate. 

Just like we plug our electrical gadgets into an electrical socket to charge - we must too plug our earthly bodies into the charging socket of nature. 

So here's your permission to go walk barefoot!

4. Moving to Non-Toxic Products 

Just like your food, your cleaning products are poisoning you. 

In mainstream conversation, people are already talking about moving to cleaner cleaning products. Large companies like 7th Generation are at the forefront of toxin free cleaners and detergents. Native is leading the way for aluminum free deodorant and non-toxic body and hair washes. Dr. Bronner is sweeping the fluoride free toothpaste space. 

These companies have cleverly capitalized on the folks who are more aware of the carcinogens and toxins that are in our household cleaner, washes, soaps, deodorants, toothpaste, detergents, and skincare. 

While all of these companies are making headway with the more talked about products, we also can’t forget the additional products in our homes that also are full of toxins. 

Your period products. Toilet paper. Air fresheners. Cookware. Candles.  

All of these things are slowly making our bodies and our homes sick. They are increasing rates of autoimmune diseases, cognitive disorders, cancer, and many more. Slowly replacing these products when you run out of something with an all natural option will bring environmental equilibrium back into your home and body. 

Linked to the items above are some all natural companies to consider when replacing your current ones. However, as you do your own research, check ingredient labels for hidden chemicals that could be entering your body through skin absorption, inhaling, or consumption.

What about the cost! It’s all so expensive! I know… and when you first start it will seem like it isn’t economically feasible. Here is where I want you to make the mind switch. We as a nation are spending hundreds of dollars on health insurance, pharmaceuticals, and reactive healthcare. If we relocate those dollars to proactively consuming more clean products, we really won’t feel a financial impact. 

Slow changes my friends - for a rooted and truly clean non-toxic environment. 

5. Mamma Chick 

So many women in America are suffering from PMDD (Premenstrual Dysmorphic Disorder). 

Basically your everyday PMS but on level 20. This can come with extreme mood swings, excessive bloating, increase in acne, debilitating cramps, nausea, and fatigue. Some women with PMDD report that they can’t even make it to work because of how serious the symptoms are. 

Your doctor is wrong: this isn’t normal. And you don’t need to just “pop some Advil or Midol” to feel better. 

Many women are experiencing PMDD because of the vitamin deficiency in our food and the lack of regular discussion around what our body needs at different times of the month to keep us at equilibrium. 

The founders of Mamma Chick created this incredible powder that you mix right into your drink once to twice daily. In it, you will find a plethora of vitamins that many of us are depleted of: Vitamin b12, D, Omega 6, Magnesium and many more. 

I love this supplement! It makes it easy to get all the vitamins you need in one simple way - plus it tastes great! After 3 months of regular use, my own PMDD completely went away. 

It’s amazing what normal feels like when you recognize that dysfunction and pain is not actually normal. 

6. Cycle Syncing 

Ok so speaking of not normal periods…

Start synching your cycle!

As mentioned in the sunshine category above, humans go through a daily cycle referred to as the circadian cycle. Women however, go through an additional bodily cycle - the menstrual cycle - on a monthly-ish basis. Most women know that it culminates in a 4-6 day period but that is where their knowledge on their cycle ends. 

Our cycle (when normal) is roughly 25-35 days. It actually STARTS with our period as day 1. Afterwards we move into the follicular phase of roughly 7-10 days, followed by ovulation (a single day occurrence) and finished with the luteal phase. During each of these phases our body is doing something specific to prepare for a possible pregnancy. Therefore, it is only natural that our body needs different things and thrives in different ways throughout the cycle. Below are some basic tips on what your body is doing and what it needs during each phase. 

Menstruation:

• Your body is shedding the uterine lining that it has prepared for a possible pregnancy

• Food Choices: Hearty foods - sweet potatoes, red meat 

• Vitamin needs: Iron

• Workouts: Rest to Light workouts - think yoga, Pilates, walking

• Socialization: Little sociability

Follicular:

• Your ovaries prepare to release an egg

• Food Choices: Healthy fats

• Vitamin needs: Probiotics

• Workouts: Circuit training/Strength training

• Socialization: High sociability

Ovulation: (Even though this is only 1 day, roughly 14 days into your cycle, the first week of the Luteal phase should be followed as below)

• Your ovaries release an egg in hope of fertilization 

• Food Choices: Water rich foods

• Workouts: HITT Workouts

• Socialization: Most Sociable 

Luteal:

• Your body uses progesterone to thicken the uterine lining to prepare for a fertilized egg

• Food Choices: Increase calories

• Vitamin needs: Vitamin C

• Workouts: Slow down workouts

• Socialization: Slow down sociability 

There is a whole lot more to the cycle synching world, so if you are interested in knowing more and where to begin @littleraeofhealth on Instagram is a great place to start! 

Whoa - that's a lot of information - and a lot of changes if I’m not currently doing any of this! 

Don’t worry - it's not a race. Take your time. Find the things that work for you and say poo poo to the ones that don’t. Being more functional, holistic and proactive isn’t about implementing everything and anything - it’s about finding the things that bring your body, mind and soul back to equilibrium. It's about helping yourself be more rooted in your health on a daily basis.

Below are a few Instagram accounts and podcasts that can help you on your way to incorporating more rooted proactive health. 

• @naturalnursemomma

• @littleraeofhealth

• Podcast: Culture Apothecary by @realalexclark

• Podcast: The Freely rooted Podcast by @korimeloy and @fallondanae

• Podcast: Wise Traditions by @holistichilda

However, if you are someone who needs a more hand on guide, practical tips, or someone to bounce things off of, turn to Meghan Ray for help. Through coaching at Deep Roots Collective you can be provided a wide range of services from spiritual coaching to family and relationship coaching. Schedule a consultation today by clicking here.