I love getting recommendations from others on products, apps and gadgets in the “wellness” world. It always feels good when someone else has already given it a try and given the product a five-star review.
Today it’s my turn! Why does Oprah get to have all the fun? So, let’s do a “My Favourite Things” N.C. Wellness Edition. These are my favourite health and wellness finds for July. This is something fun I’ll be posting on my BLOG and sending to all my subscribers on a regular basis to give my followers some great options for their health and wellness journey.
So, without further ado…here is the first official N.C. Wellness Favourite Things List!
Note: I am NOT sponsored or paid by any of these companies. I just truly love the products!
Apps
Insight Timer – This is a FREE meditation app. The reason why I love this app so much is because of the variety it provides. There are literally hundreds of different guided meditations available with varying lengths that are completely FREE. If you prefer just to sit in stillness, there is a simple timer with various sounds and chimes available. For those interested, there is a Member Plus upgrade that offers members thousands of courses in the health and wellness space. Insight Timer can be downloaded on both iPhone and Android.
Food Tracking Apps: MyFitnessPal or MyMacros+ - Both of these apps are great for tracking your calories and macros (protein, carbs and fats). For those interested in a macros-based approach for nutrition this makes it easy to log your food. MyFitnessPal is more “calories” focused but has a huge food database. MyMacros+ is definitely more macros focused and popular in the bodybuilding community. Either will provide you with visibility to your macro ratios to help in making adjustments to your diet. Both of these apps are also available on iPhone and Android.
Favourite Reads
The Blue Zones Series by Dan Buettner – I love this series of books. The original book focused on five regions in the world – dubbed blue zones – where people live the longest, and are the healthiest: Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece, and Loma Linda, California. The study is fascinating because it dives into the common lifestyle factors (the "Power 9") that keep these people living past 100 in these regions. The one thing to note is that although I definitely agree on the more plant-based approach (ie. making sure there are tons of fruits and vegetables in every meal!), the plant slant approach in this book does go to a bit of an extreme and lacks the protein needed for most active individuals.
Thrive by Arianna Huffington – I love this book because it re-looks at how we define success. Arianna Huffington, cofounder and editor-in-chief of the Huffington Post Media Group--one of the fastest growing media companies in the world found herself re-evaluating what success meant when she passed out one day due to exhaustion. The book defines a “third metric” of success in order to create a life of well-being, wisdom & wonder. A really inspirational and motivating read.
Products
Canadian Protein – because there are so many protein and supplement companies out there, it’s definitely difficult to decipher what’s “good” and what’s “not.” With protein powders, high quality ingredients and delicious taste are the most important attributes people look for and Canadian Protein delivers on both. I like Canadian Protein for so many reasons. They are Canadian made, GMP certified and Health Canada and FDA certified. I also love that EVERY product is tested for quality and safety and there is full transparency by allowing access to the full report. The taste is amazing, and you can’t beat the price. I personally am not a fan of artificial sweeteners so I prefer the “All Natural” New Zealand Whey and “All Natural” Vegan proteins which are sweetened with stevia.
Brookers Meats – for those in the Greater Toronto Area, you can’t go wrong with Brookers Meats. All of their meat is grass fed, antibiotic and hormone free and raised locally in a humane way. What I love is the variety that they offer. They offer beef, chicken, pork, lamb, fish & seafood and various game and they will deliver it right to your door. If you’d prefer to pick your own, they have a store front in Schomberg, Ontario, Canada.
Podcasts
The Doctor’s Farmacy by Mark Hyman – Dr. Mark Hyman really is the father and face of Functional Medicine. Dr. Hyman believes that optimal health and happiness is available to everyone and that we can get there using the power of real food. He understands that the body is interconnected and suggests that diseases don’t really exist in the way we think they do as separate diagnoses. In fact, what we see as symptoms are reflections of a few common interconnected imbalances. His podcasts are enlightening, educational and provide a ton of “aha” moments.
CourtneyforLife – Courtney is a bad ass nutrition, strength and confidence coach. She is also an international powerlifter and bikini competitor. Her podcasts are short, sweet and to the point and I just love her authentic approach. Courtney’s podcasts focus on strength, nutrition and building a confident and positive mindset.
So, there you have it! My Favourite Things, July 2021 edition! I hope you take the time to check some of these products and services out and let me know your thoughts! If you have any favourite things that you’d like featured, please send me a note. I’d love to try some of your finds!
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