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Health is your greatest wealth - my experience with Susa's Deli (home delivered healthy meal plan service)
*In collaboration with Susa’s Deli
New Year - New me? - A cliche worth committing to!
Well hello hello hello and happy new year everyone!
Each year, there is a desire in each one of us to do a little better than we did the previous year, and in particular when it comes to taking care of our bodies and our overall health. With infection rates on the rise and new variants appearing from right and left, there’s even a deeper emphasis on health this year. Boosting the immune system is not only good for you, but actually provides protection against disease by creating a barrier that stops those nasty invaders (antigens) from entering the body. Perhaps this profound significance of staying healthy will also aid us all to not only making, but actually sticking to our new years resolutions of a “new healthier me” this year?
Many people may think that new year’s resolutions are nothing but silly cliches that people create to make themselves feel better. Personally however, I find that new years are magical. Energetically they offer us a fresh start a clean slate and therefor an opportunity to start anew and create better healthier habits. I actually once turned a new year’s resolution of becoming vegetarian into a 12 year lifestyle commitment (until I noticed I was low on iron).
You can check out their different meal plans here.
What makes the first week of January even a little more special for me, is that both mine and my boyfriend’s birthdays happen to fall on that very first week of the year. This year we were lucky to kick it off and celebrate all these festivities with a collaboration with a small family run meal delivery business, Susa’s Deli.
Susa’s Deli is a prepared meal home delivery service that currently offers three different plans: 7 days, 30 days and for two weeks. You can choose between a vegetarian or mixed meal plan. You’ll get three meals per day, including breakfast, lunch and dinner. All meals are made with healthy and nutritious ingredients, using fresh local produce and you set up the drop off times according to your schedule.
If you’ve followed me for a while (or read some of my previous blog posts), you may also know that I am really into subtle energy, and that I also emphasise Albert Einstein’s quote of “everything is energy”. The food you eat, the thoughts you think and the actions you take. Since food is a huge source of energy and an actual component of what makes you into you (a.k.a. you are what you eat) it is extremely crucial for your overall health and wellbeing to eat healthy. When we eat nutritious rich food, not only do we feel better, but we vibrate on a higher frequency, and therefor have more energy, feel better and actually think clearer.
One of the beautiful things about Susa’s is, that all their meals are home made using local produce and Finnish ingredients. You can check out their list of the producers they use here. I enjoyed all the meals, but my personal favourites were the green smoothie (pictured), veggie soup, chicken curry, mozzarella wraps, sweet potato patty pasta, quinoa salad and fish soup. Another aspect that I enjoyed about this service, is the easiness and convenience of it. Instead of spending time (money and energy) on thinking about what to cook and what to buy from the store, you have these lovely ready made meals that you only need to heat up. It also made me think how this service would be very suitable and helpful for busy people or families alike.
Another thing that felt great about this collaboration was connecting and working with another small business. When I received the first delivery, I was touched by the hand written note explaining each meal, which made it feel very personal.
Interestingly, there was a strong synchronicity of me landing this collaboration. Just a couple weeks before being contacted by Susa’s, I had connected with a customer at my Pop Up Shop who spoke very highly about Susan (one of the founders of the company) and her other services as a channeller. As it also happens, I’ve actually once had a session with her many many years ago, even before my years moving to Mexico. This made it all feel very aligned and like a collaboration meant to happen. As I am a strong believer in synchronicities (instead of coincides), perhaps there’s also reason you’re also reading this blog post… perhaps you've decided that the coming year is dedicated to changing your habits and start living a healthier life? If so, I truly recommend this service. Not only is is all of the above, but it’s quite affordable in my opinion! You can check out their website here and the different meal plans here and give them a follow on their instagram here. We all know covid-19 has been tough on small businesses, so let’s choose wisely the ones we support and buy from!
Cheers to a happy healthy 2022!
Xx,
Eva
"Why am I so tired"... sound familiar? Sometimes rest is not enough! + GIVEAWAY
In collaboration with puhti.fi
I guess it’s safe to say this year has been heavy in many ways. The world is faced with a pandemic that is causing us distress, worry, fear and anxiety both health wise, economically and socially, not to mention the polarization on how we handle and view these exceptional times. Even if we might fall into the group that’s not “that affected”, or are not in the so called “risk group”, the continuous collective worry, media overload and fact that the pandemic is wreaking havoc worldwide can be devastating for the nervous system. No wonder we might feel a little tired, overwhelmed or even depressed.
To be frank, even if I give out a quite positive image of myself on my social media feed, this spring, summer and fall have been pretty heavy for me as well. As you might know, I recently launched my very own yoga clothing line made out of ocean waste, called Moonah Wear (check it out!), which has obviously been so so exciting, but simultaneously super scary. I’ve invested not just a big chunk of my savings into this new company, but also so much time and energy.
It has also felt (and still feels) scary to be starting a new venture during these very unusual times with a downward spiraling economy. If you’ve just found my blog or social, you might not know that in addition to running my yoga clothing line, I teach yoga as my profession, which obviously also has been compromised during the pandemic. Even so, I still consider myself to be very privileged, lucky and blessed to be working with what I love and quite well off compared to many many others that have lost their jobs or even worse. But what I do want to highlight instead, and what I am here to openly share about are my feels in a very real and vulnerable way. So, as much as it’s been super exciting to be working with this passion project, it’s definitely also been a lot.
Even so, sometimes feeling tired is not just a symptom from being overworked, overwhelmed or having an overstimulated nervous system. Sometimes you might actually be lacking important minerals that are crucial for your overall health. And at times, it’s the sum of all of the above. Yet, making sure your body has all it needs to function properly is key 🔑.
I first started feeling tired as the days started getting shorter and the weather started cooling off. I figured it must be the decrease of sunlight (which it actually also is), but I didn’t really think that much of it. Slowly and surely it would get worse and I had some mornings when I actually struggled to get out of bed 😞. It made me think, this can’t just be from “being tired” or “overworked”.
Luckily, I was able to team up with Puhti , which is a company that offers a variety of packages to scan your blood to give you an idea of your overall health. They offer laboratory tests (without a doctor’s referral) and help with interpreting the results.
Nature is medicine, yet sometimes nature & sleep is not all we need.
Shot by Jonna Monola. Halti sleeping bag.
The results come in super quick and I actually got most of my results already on the same day. Oh, and by the way I am scared shitless of needles, but their lab staff is super friendly and understanding and they actually offered me a juice box as I started feeling a little nauseous during the blood test 😊.
Before I share my results I’ll just drop the symptoms of both ferritin and Vit D deficiency here below, let me know if you can relate 😅:
Signs and symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency might include:
Fatigue.
Bone pain.
Muscle weakness, muscle aches, or muscle cramps.
Mood changes, like depression.
Signs and symptoms of low ferritin levels might include:
unexplained fatigue.
dizziness.
chronic headaches.
unexplained weakness.
ringing in your ears.
irritability.
leg pains.
shortness of breath.
Vitamin D is important for health. Some of its roles in the body include:
helping with the absorption of calcium
maintaining healthy bones
regulating genes and cell growth
preventing osteoporosis
modulating the immune system (via Medicalnewstoday)
Ferritin isn’t the same thing as iron in your body. Instead, ferritin is a protein that stores iron, releasing it when your body needs it. (via Healthline.com)
I had never before had any similar tests taken, so for me it was super interesting to see “my health on paper” so to speak. It made me emphasize with people that have hypochondria, as it was actually super fascinating having all this new information to dwell upon now on “paper”.
And waddaya know, I was deficient in both Vit D & ferritin.
Days are getting shorter, weather is getting colder. Shot by Jonna Monola.
As you can see below on the first chart (text in Finnish) my result for D vitamin falls into the red zone, meaning I am D vitamin deficient.
I am also low on ferritin, as it falls into the “alert zone” just before the red zone. Please note: I’ve been on a vegetarian diet for 10+ years.
Luckily, both of these deficiencies can be reversed with supplements. If you live in a sunny place, you should get enough Vit D from spending at least 20 min outside, but if you reside on the Northern Hemisphere and have long, dark winters 😱🥶 you’re most likely going to be needing some extra Vit D. (PS. I highly recommend checking out Puhdas + and my discount code EVA25 for any purchases).
So, the lesson here is: if you’re suspecting you might be lacking in any vitamins or minerals or having any of the above mentioned symptoms: check yourself!! Health is the greatest wealth, fo reals! Sometimes sleeping more, or resting more, or taking “you time” is simply not enough, especially if you might be deficient in some super important minerals/irons. I truly and highly recommend getting yourself checked, especially now as we are moving towards darker times. Puhti is giving away one free blood screening, so make sure to comment on my blog post, as one of the commentators will WIN A FREE blood scan (participant must be in Finland). Winner will be announced in a week from now, on Sunday, Nov 1st. Yay!
Stay healthy,
xx
Eva
ESSENTIAL OILS 101: Essential oils to balance your 7 chakras
In collaboration with Puhdas+ use code EVA25 to get -25% off
ESSENTIAL OILS 101: Essential oils to balance your 7 chakras
If you’re into natural wellness, surely at this point you must have stumbled upon essential oils. The world of essential oils is vast and can feel somewhat overwhelming with so many different oils and usages. I decided to create a guide, that can help you navigate through the world of essential oils, using the chakras (energy centers of the subtle body) as your map.
Before me dive into these, let’s cover the basics first. An essential oil is a concentrated liquid made from parts of certain plants like leaves, herbs, barks, roots, seeds and rinds into a concentrated oil through extraction. The idea is to capture the flavors, scents, and overall beneficial properties from the plants into potent oils than can be used topically.
You can use essential oils, well, for a variety of things including; aromatherapy, treating skin conditions, soothing muscle inflammation, headaches and so much more. Another lovely way to use essential oils is using a diffuser. I use the Ultrasonic Aroma Diffuser from Puhdas+ and absolutely love it, as it acts both as a diffuser and a humidifier, and is perfect drier climates (such as Finland).
The easiest form of usage, is to simply apply a few drops of the oil in your hands, rub your hands together and then inhale the scent. Even though I root for natural products, please note that even natural substances can be irritating or cause allergic reactions. Like anything else you put on your skin, my recommendation is to test a little bit on a small area and see how your skin responds.
Some of my favourites from Puhdas+
Certain oils, such as rose, ylang ylang, lavender (my absolute favourite 😍) help you relax and are good to use before going to bed when you want to wind down. Peppermint oil is great for treating headaches and migraine attacks, whereas ginger oil can help ease discomforts of the stomach and bowel. Lemongrass oil serves as a natural repellent for mosquitos and insects. Essential oils can also be used to freshen up things like laundry. Like I mentioned in the beginning, there’s a myriad of ways you can use essential oils and to cover them all would probably take a book or two 😅, for that reason, I decided to approach the subject through the Chakra System. Below you will find my favourite oils and which chakra they relate to.
Root Chakra
This chakra governs stability, security, your primal needs and feeling grounded and connected to Mother Earth.
Color: Red
Location: base of the spine
Physical manifestation: kidneys, adrenals
Essential oils to activate/balance: cinnamon (my top pick), myrrh, patchouli, cedarwood
Sacral Chakra
This chakra is related to your emotions, sexuality, pleasure and sensuality.
Color: orange
Location: just below the belly button (by the reproductive organs)
Physical manifestation: reproductive organs
Essential oils to activate/balance: sweet orange, ginger, jasmine, ylang ylang, clary sage
Solar Plexus Chakra
This chakra is about our personal power, will and courage.
Color: yellow
Location: stomach
Physical manifestations: stomach (digestion), gallbladder, liver
Essential oils to activate/balance: lemon, peppermint, rosemary, lemongrass
Heart Chakra
This chakra is the expression of love, compassion and joy.
Color: green (or a rosy pink)
Location: chest
Physical manifestations: heart, arms, hands
Essential oils to activate/balance: rose, lavender, bergamot, thyme
Throat Chakra
This chakra is governs our expression, truth, speaking up but also our ability to listen to others.
Color: blue
Location: throat
Physical manifestations: lungs, respiratory system
Essential oils to activate/balance: eucalyptus, palmarosa, camomile ginger, lemon
Third Eye Chakra
This chakra is our wisdom center, connecting to the unseen, our psychic abilities and intuition.
Color: indigo
Location: between eyebrows
Physical manifestations: eyes, head, lower brain, pituitary gland
Essential oils to activate/balance: clary sage, bay, peppermint
Crown Chakra
This chakra is about our connection to the divine (source), unity, giving us access to higher states of consciousness.
Color: white
Location: crown of the head (above the head)
Physical manifestations: brain, pineal gland
Essential oils to activate/balance: lavender, sandalwood, frankincense
Make sure to take advantage of this generous discount code from Puhdas+ use code EVA25 to get -25% off your purchase!
That’s all for now,
Best,
Eva
Pictures by Jonna Monola
