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1.3.19

For years, we’ve been watching the Wellness Mama grow from a small personal blog into a well-rounded resource for anyone who wants to live a healthier life. The Wellness Mama is Katie Wells, and her top health and wellness hub has become a classic staple for OG wellness lovers. Katie’s wealth of well-researched knowledge is powered by her genuine passion to practice what she preaches.

You’ll find everything we’ve come to love Katie for – from apple cider vinegar remedies to her charcoal toothpaste in her new book The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.If you’ve not done a deep dive on the Wellness Mama’s site yet, meet her below as she divulges her her most potent wellness practices and the daily habits that keep her going in one of our classic TCM series, Daily Staples…

Daily breakfast:

I don’t have a typical, but it will most likely be one of these three things: fasting until lunch, a protein smoothie with greens or a veggie and egg scramble with avocado.

My food philosophy:

I eat ninety percent foods that don’t have ingredient lists (vegetables, proteins, fruits, nuts, etc.) and lots of variety for micronutrients (especially greens, herbs, seeds, etc.).

Daily supplements:

I rotate almost everything so the only things I take every day are Just Thrive Probiotic, Just Thrive K2-7 and Mag-SRT magnesium. I also drink lemon water almost every morning and often drink reishi tea before bed.

Can't live without:

Dry Farm wines (for weekly date nights with the hubby) and Myobuddy massager (for muscle and fascia relief).

For my health, once a week I:

Do a sauna and cold session. I love the heat and don’t love the cold, but the contrast of the two is so invigorating! I also try to get a massage once a week but it ends up being more like once a month. I also fast for 24 hours for a mental and physical reset.

Favorite workout:

Lifting weights! I feel best when I lift weights regularly, and while I also add in HIIT and cardio, weights are the most fun to me.

Best healthy food option on-the-go:

PaleoValley beef sticks or canned sardines and green drink powders (for flying and travel) or salads in mason jars. For family dinners, I often turn to a quick stir-fry that is packed with veggies.

Three staples always in my medicine cabinet:

Propolis spray: It’s great for the first hint of sore throat or congestion, needed to spray on burns or for any mild illness.

Sesame oil and castor oil: I use the sesame oil for oil pulling while I’m in the shower and for oil cleansing when mixed with castor oil. I also use a dab of castor oil on my eyelashes, hair line and eyebrows before bed to encourage thick and healthy hair.

Everything from Genexa: These remedies are a lifesaver, especially with kids. They help with the I can’t sleep refrain and growing pains.

At least once a week I cook:

A big pot of soup, even in the summer. To me, there’s nothing more soothing that a delicious bowl of soup. During much of the year I also make oysters once a week, especially since they are local and delicious where we live.

My best health advice:

Consider the emotional and mental side of health to be as important as the physical side, and if not more important. This was a hard lesson for me! I researched and optimized all the physical stuff (like diet and supplements) but tried to power through the stress and emotional aspects. Finally facing those and doing the hard work was difficult but life changing.

I’ve also seen first-hand how people can do everything “right” to be healthy but have an unhealthy life due to negative emotions. And conversely, I’ve seen many people who do a lot of things “wrong” but who have a great mental perspective and who thrive. At the end of the day there is no one-size-fits-all and finding our own sweet spot takes experimentation and personalization.

On my desk to read:

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl (I re-read every year at this time)
Superintelligence by Nick Bostrom
Seven Brief Lessons in Physics by Carlo Rovelli
Dare to Lead by Brene Brown

Ingredients I always avoid:

Vegetable oils, refined sugars, artificial sweeteners, refined flour and dyes — there are many more but these are the core ones.

Crazy health idea that actually works:

Get thirty minutes of outdoor light as soon as possible after waking up — so go outside without sunglasses. It sounds simple (and maybe not so crazy), but it makes a huge difference in energy levels and sleep, especially over time.

I got this idea and tip from Dr. Alan Christianson and it makes a big difference in how I feel. The idea behind it is that bright light exposure (much brighter than indoor light, even on cloudy days) helps regulate circadian rhythm and improve cortisol patterns. I personally notice more mental clarity and better sleep, which is enough of a reason for me.

Favorite travel gear:

Electrical tape: I sleep best in complete darkness, so I bring this to cover TV and smoke alarm lights in hotels when traveling. I’ve also used it to tape curtains together and repair a bag that broke so I could get it home.

Four Sigmatic coffee packets: I don’t drink bad coffee and I don’t like to drink out of plastic or Styrofoam so I bring a travel mug and coffee and tea packets whenever I travel.

Flip-flops: Even if I’m going somewhere with cool weather, I always find I use these to walk within my hotel, run out quickly to pick stuff up or when going to an indoor pool.

Green drink: I travel with Organifi green drink powder and add this in when there aren’t enough veggies available.

Kindle: I resisted this for so many years but got tired of toting around several books each time I travel. Now, I’ll stock up with ten-plus books and always have plenty of reading material on hand.

Non-negotiable:

If it isn’t a hell yes, it’s a no — in business and in life. I did the opposite of this for so many years and made myself so stressed out all the time by trying to be and do everything for everyone else. All of my other guiding ideas stem from this one, and I’ve found I can’t be the best mom, spouse, writer or business owner if I don’t create a margin by saying no a lot.

On a personal level, family dinner is a non-negotiable at our house. We don’t accept any activities or events that interfere with this and we always try to ask questions of each other like: What hard things did you do today? What are you grateful for today? What did you fail at today?

Simplest way to improve health:

Breathe and sleep!

Go-to juice or smoothie:

I can’t stand bananas (it’s the only food I won’t eat), so any drink or smoothie that doesn’t involve them! I really like mixtures of celery, cucumber, spinach, apple and lime.

Favorite health getaway:

Anywhere with sun! I think sunlight (in the right amount) is one of the healthiest things I can do for my health. I love to visit places where there is an abundance of it. Any vacation or getaway that involves my kids is also a favorite and a time to recharge as a family, which is so important for health (even though a tad more hectic).

Current mantra:

I have two…

On a personal level, I always say, Everything will work out perfectly. I stole this from my friend Tina who runs Just Thrive. She says this all the time and it is such a good reminder not to stress about the small stuff and that everything does truly work out with enough time.

You were made to do hard things. This is our family motto and something we often say to each other and to our kids. When we’re traveling and it is tough or they have a project that is difficult, we like the simple reminder that we’re not just capable of doing tough stuff… we’re made for it.

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Comments


  1. Simply amazing article. Insightful, helpful, inspiring, honest, and very useful information. Loved it! Thank you for sharing.

    Antoinette | 01.04.2019 | Reply
    • Thanks Antoinette! She’s got some great tips.

      The Chalkboard | 01.09.2019 | Reply
  2. unless she’s as old as she looks (45ish) I wouldn’t be interested in her “healthy” lifestyle.

    Aloi | 01.06.2019 | Reply
    • We adore the Wellness Mama – trust us, she has some incredibly good tips for non-toxic living at home.

      The Chalkboard | 01.09.2019 | Reply
  3. Loved your article on 20 Daily Staples Katie and plan on implementing some of them in my life. Also, I am very much interested in some of your products and will be ordering soon. Thank you for your posts.

    Doris | 03.01.2020 | Reply
  4. @aloi what is wrong with you?

    Sarah | 05.24.2020 | Reply

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