Food Is Medicine (Part 2)

Part 2: 5 More Ingredients I’m Using to Support Liver Detox, Lymph Flow & Hormone Balance

If Part 1 was about calming inflammation and stabilizing the foundation, this next group of foods is about movement.

Movement of bile.
Movement of lymph.
Movement of hormones out of the body (instead of letting them recirculate and wreak havoc).

This is where things started to click for me in a deeper way. Because so many of the symptoms I’ve lived with… bloating, pressure under my ribs, acne that doesn’t behave, mood swings that come out of nowhere, that “puffy and exhausted” feeling aren’t just about what’s in the body.

They’re about what isn’t leaving.

These foods aren’t aggressive. They don’t force detox. They gently nudge systems that are already trying to work but need a little support to do so.

Again: no perfection, no cleanse, no overnight promises. Just ingredients I keep coming back to because my body responds.

A gentle note:

Nothing here is medical advice. I’m not a doctor or practitioner. I’m a chef and a woman navigating PCOS, endometriosis, insulin resistance, and liver dysfunction — and I’m sharing the foods I’m learning about and using to support my own healing. Always check in with your healthcare provider before making major changes.

6. Beets

Beets are deeply misunderstood. People either love them or avoid them entirely; but when it comes to liver and hormone support, they’re one of the most reliable foods I’ve added.

Beets support phase 2 liver detoxification, meaning they help the liver actually process and excrete hormones and toxins instead of recycling them back into circulation. They also support bile flow, which matters more than I ever realized, especially without a gallbladder.

In TCM and traditional nutrition, beets are associated with blood movement and liver support. Modern research backs that up with their role in methylation and nitric oxide production.

What beets can support:

• estrogen clearance

• sluggish bile flow

• fatigue tied to detox congestion

• skin issues related to hormone backup

• circulation and “stuck” feeling in the body

How I actually use them:
Roasted with olive oil and salt, shredded raw into salads, or simmered into soups. I also have them in a powdered form so I can add to drinks (great with lemon and a little allulose) or homemade lentil tortillas!

7. Artichokes

Artichokes might be one of the most underrated liver-supportive foods there is.

They stimulate bile production and help the liver move what it’s already filtered. That matters if you experience nausea after fats, heaviness after meals, or that “brick in the gut” feeling that comes from slow digestion.

Artichokes also support cholesterol metabolism and gut-liver communication, which plays a huge role in hormone balance.

What artichokes can support:

• bile production

• fat digestion

• post-meal heaviness

• liver congestion

• constipation related to slow bile

How I actually use them:
Jarred or frozen artichoke hearts sautéed with garlic and lemon, tossed into soups, or blended into dips. They don’t need to be fancy to be effective.

8. Lemon

Lemon gets talked about endlessly, but it earns its place here for a reason.

Lemon gently stimulates the liver and gallbladder, supports bile flow, and helps “wake up” digestion without being harsh. It’s one of the easiest ways I support my liver daily without thinking too hard about it.

In TCM, sour flavors help move liver qi. In modern nutrition, lemon supports digestive enzymes and mild detox pathways.

What lemon can support:

• sluggish digestion

• bile movement

• morning nausea or heaviness

• bloating after meals

• gentle daily detox support

How I actually use it:
In warm water, squeezed over greens, stirred into broths, or added at the end of cooking. I use it consistently, not aggressively.

9. Parsley & Cilantro

These two herbs deserve their own moment.

They support detox pathways, lymphatic movement, and kidney-liver communication. They’re especially helpful if you experience puffiness, water retention, or that swollen feeling that isn’t quite inflammation, just stagnation.

They also support mineral balance, which matters more than most of us realize when hormones are involved.

What parsley and cilantro can support:

• lymphatic flow

• water retention

• gentle detox support

• bloating

• mineral balance

How I actually use them:
Chopped into soups, using the stems, minced in salads or pestos, blended into sauces, or added generously to meals at the end. I don’t force them, I sprinkle them everywhere like confetti.

10. Bitter Greens (Arugula, Radicchio, Endive)

If dandelion greens were the gateway, these are the supporting cast.

Bitter greens stimulate digestion, bile flow, and liver signaling. They help the body recognize that it’s time to digest, process, and move things along.

Bitterness is uncomfortable at first, but it’s one of the flavors most missing from modern diets, and one the liver desperately responds to.

What bitter greens can support:

• liver signaling

• digestion initiation

• bloating

• hormone clearance

• blood sugar balance

How I actually use them:
Raw in salads with lemon and olive oil, or lightly wilted into warm dishes. I don’t hide the bitterness — I let my palate learn it.

Closing Thoughts

What I’m learning, over and over, is that healing doesn’t come from doing more; it comes from supporting what’s already trying to happen.

These foods don’t fix everything. But they help my body feel less stuck. Less backed up. Less overwhelmed.

They make meals feel purposeful without becoming stressful. And they remind me that food doesn’t have to be complicated to be powerful.

If Part 1 was about calming the system, Part 2 is about helping things move.

And for me, that’s been everything.

What’s Coming in Part 3

Next up, I’ll be sharing foods and habits that support:

• nervous system regulation

• cortisol balance

• blood sugar stability

• digestion without restriction

Because healing hormones isn’t just about the liver — it’s about the whole system feeling safe enough to function.

If you want to come back to this later:
Pin it. Save it. Revisit it when your body asks for support.

One meal at a time still counts.

Food IS Medicine

Part 1: The First 5 Ingredients I’m Using to Support My Liver, Hormones & PCOS

I’ve spent the better part of my adult life living inside a body that felt like it was always running uphill: fatigue that wouldn’t quit, inflammation that I couldn’t even articulate, breakouts outs in my 30’s, a vanishing period, PCOS symptoms that felt louder than my own thoughts, endometriosis flares, insulin resistance, and that familiar heavy feeling under my ribs that was trying to tell me, “HEY! Your liver is tired.”

I won’t sit here and tell you I am healed, but I AM healing.
And as a chef, the place I always come back to is the kitchen.

Food has been my comfort, my creativity, and now, my medicine cabinet.

The more I learn about the body; especially hormones, liver function, digestion, and blood sugar, the more it becomes clear that food matters SO. MUCH. MORE than I think most of us ever realized. Not in a restrictive way. Not in a “perfect wellness girl” way. But in a small, gentle, powerful way: the right foods, used consistently, can help the body do what it’s been trying to do all along.

So I’ve been diving into research, Traditional Chinese Medicine, nutritional science, hormone health, lymphatic support, and my own lived experience to find out which foods actually move the needle. Which ingredients support the liver. Which calm inflammation. Which help with blood sugar. Which feel grounding instead of bloating. Which leave me clearer, calmer, and more stable than the day before.

And I’m cooking with them! Not perfectly, not as a cleanse, not as a “new personality,” but as a woman rebuilding her health one meal at a time.

This series is simply what I’m learning and what I’m applying.
No magic claims, no overnight fixes, just the ingredients I keep returning to because my body responds to them.
And the first five have already reshaped the way I think about food and healing.

A gentle note:

Nothing here is medical advice. I’m not a doctor or practitioner. I’m a chef and a woman navigating PCOS, endometriosis, insulin resistance, and liver dysfunction — and I’m sharing the foods I’m learning about and using to support my own healing. Always check in with your healthcare provider before making major changes.

1. Mung Beans

When I started digging into foods that truly “lighten the load” on the liver, mung beans kept popping up like they were following me around.

Mung beans keep coming up everywhere! In TCM texts, liver healing literature, PCOS discussions, gut health studies, and even anxiety research. They’re tiny, green, unassuming little things, but they’re ridiculously powerful. I dreaded this, as a Pho lover who could never bring myself to eat mung bean sprouts (despite my maintained claim that I am NOT picky).

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, mung beans are considered cooling, clearing, and damp-draining. Meaning: they help reduce inflammation, calm heat in the liver, support detox pathways, ease bloating, and gently move water through the body.

Modern research backs that up: mung beans have compounds that help regulate blood sugar, support the microbiome, and reduce inflammatory markers. They’re also easier to digest than most American beans.

What mung beans can support:

• liver heat + inflammation

• insulin spikes

• anxiety + cortisol sensitivity

• bloating + water retention

• gut microbiome balance

• lymphatic stagnation

• acne or heat-related skin flares

How I actually use them:
Not. As. Spouts.  Absolutely not.
The whole cooked beans are nothing like that crunchy nightmare. They’re soft and cozy, like a cross between lentils and split peas. I simmer them in broth with garlic, onion, ginger, and turmeric. Sometimes I stir in a splash of coconut milk (ALWAYS at the end) to make it creamy. It tastes like comfort food that just happens to be medicinal.

2. Adzuki Beans

If mung beans are the cooling, calming friend, adzuki beans are the warm, grounding one who shows up with soup when you’re overwhelmed.

Asian cultures have used adzuki beans for centuries for kidney health, blood sugar support, and gentle detox,  and wouldn’t you know it…  these little red beans keep showing up in both modern nutrition and TCM for hormone balance, lymphatic drainage, and liver support.

In TCM, adzuki beans are considered sweet, warming, and diuretic. They help move stagnant water, reduce puffiness, support the spleen, and calm the digestive system without contributing to “dampness.”

What adzuki beans can support:

• lymphatic drainage

• hormone clearance

• puffiness + water retention

• blood sugar stability

• fatigue after meals

• spleen support (bloating, heaviness, sluggish digestion)

How I actually use them:
These are the beans used in sweet red bean paste (think mochi), so they’re naturally more neutral and dessert-friendly. I love them in chili, soups, and stews — but they’re also incredible mashed with a little vanilla and maple for a cozy, nourishing treat (or breakfast, if you’re a lover of a sweeter American style breakfast). They digest easier than black or pinto beans.

3. Daikon Radish

Daikon is one of those ingredients you meet once and immediately think, “Where have you been all my life?” It’s subtle but wildly effective.

This is the sleeper ingredient nobody talks about — and should.

Daikon is basically a detox tool disguised as a vegetable. In TCM, daikon “breaks up phlegm,” moves lymph, clears heat, and helps process fats. Modern studies show it supports digestion by producing enzymes that help break down starches and fats, which is VERY useful when you don’t have a gallbladder.

What daikon can support:

• bloating after fats

• lymphatic sluggishness

• chest/ribcage tightness

• mucus congestion (yes, even digestive “phlegm”)

• liver processing

• post-meal heaviness

• fatty food intolerance

How I actually use it:
I grate it raw into broths, slice it into soups, roast it like potatoes, or pickle it quickly with a little vinegar. It has zero heaviness. It makes my whole torso feel clearer, less tight, less congested. It’s one of the most surprising foods I’ve ever added to my kitchen.

4. Dandelion Greens

Dandelion greens are the food equivalent of someone gently tapping your liver on the shoulder and saying, “Hey sweetie, let’s wake up and move a little.”

Every time I research liver support, dandelion greens show up. Every time I look into PCOS or estrogen metabolism, they show up again. Every time I read about digestion, bile flow, fatty liver, insulin resistance… there they are.

They’re bitter, and welcome to the world that is discovering bitterness is the flavor that stimulates the liver.
TCM says they “clear heat” and “drain dampness.”
Modern nutrition says they boost bile production and support detox pathways.

What dandelion greens can support:

• sluggish liver detox

• estrogen dominance

• gallbladder-free digestion

• acne + inflammation

• constipation or irregularity

• blood sugar and carb handling

• period timing + PMS

How I actually use them:
I sauté them with garlic, coconut oil, crushed red pepper, and lemon. They taste like a slightly sassier version of spinach. I don’t measure anything with any tool other than my heart… I just cook them down until they’re soft and bright and a little tangy. It feels like I’m feeding my liver exactly what it’s been begging for.

5. Ginger

Ginger is the quiet overachiever — simple, familiar, but somehow always exactly what your stomach, hormones, and nerves needed.

Ginger is one of those ingredients that sounds too simple to matter, but it does. It warms the digestive system, stimulates circulation, moves qi, reduces nausea, supports gut motility, lowers inflammation, and helps with insulin regulation.

In TCM, ginger strengthens the spleen (huge for PCOS bloating), supports digestion, and moves dampness out of the body. In modern research, it’s linked to reduced inflammation markers and better blood sugar response.

What ginger can support:

• nausea, queasiness, indigestion

• bloating + slow digestion

• inflammation

• insulin resistance

• painful periods

• cold hands/feet or poor circulation

• tension in the torso from “stuck” liver qi

How I actually use it:
Everywhere. In broths, in stir-fries, in bean soups, in tea, grated over bowls, simmered with lemon. Fresh ginger feels like a reset button for my whole torso.

Closing Thoughts

I’m still at the beginning of this journey, but these ingredients (and the research to prove that food is medicine) have already changed the way I think about food, healing, and what “supporting my body” actually looks like. Not perfection. Not restriction. Not being afraid of certain ingredients or chasing trends. Just paying attention. Listening. Learning. Feeding myself foods that help me feel a little lighter, a little clearer, a little more grounded than I did the week before.

Adding these five foods into my kitchen has been one of the gentlest ways I’ve supported my liver, hormones, and digestion.  And honestly, it’s made eating feel… hopeful? And certainly helpful!

If you try any of these, or if you already use them in your kitchen, I’d genuinely love to hear how your body responds. There’s so much wisdom in the way our bodies communicate when we slow down enough to listen.

What’s Coming in Part 2

In the next five ingredients, we’re getting into foods that support:

• deeper liver detox

• lymphatic flow

• insulin resistance

• inflammation

• estrogen metabolism

• and gentle, everyday hormone support

Some of these you’ve definitely heard of… and some might surprise you.

Part 2 will drop soon — and I think it’s going to be just as eye-opening as this first set.

If you want to save this for later:

Pin it. Bookmark it. Print it. Whatever works for you.

Healing is so much easier when the information is easy to come back to.

A Meaningful Holiday Gift for Women Facing Hard Seasons: Why I Love CaraKit

A Meaningful Holiday Gift for Women Facing Hard Seasons: Why I Love CaraKit

There are gifts you buy because they’re cute.
And then there are gifts you buy because they matter.

CaraKit is one of the few brands I’ve come across that feels like it was created with real women; real life, real pain, real courage — in mind. If you’ve ever walked with someone through chemo, a difficult surgery, new motherhood, or any kind of exhausting season, you know how overwhelming it is to figure out what might actually help.

CaraKit makes that part simple. Their curated boxes are thoughtful, comforting, supportive, and honestly… healing. They’re a way of saying, “I see you. You’re not alone. You deserve care, too.”

Why CaraKit Stands Out

CaraKit doesn’t feel like a random assortment of items thrown in a box. Every piece is selected intentionally; soft socks, cooling gel masks, soothing teas, self-care essentials, and items that bring comfort to long days at home or in recovery.

What I love most is that each kit feels like it was made by someone who understands what women actually go through — not the Pinterest-perfect version of healing, but the real thing.

A Beautiful Gift for the Holidays

This time of year brings joy, but it can also bring loneliness, fatigue, or deep overwhelm; especially for women navigating illness, postpartum recovery, chronic stress, or grief. CaraKit is one of the most meaningful holiday gifts you can give because it’s personal. It meets someone where they are.

Whether you’re gifting:

• a friend going through radiation

• a new mom who hasn’t slept in days

• someone recovering from surgery

• a woman carrying emotional exhaustion through the holidays

• or a loved one who simply needs extra tenderness

CaraKit is the kind of present that goes beyond “stuff” and becomes real support.

Types of CaraKits You Can Choose From

There are several curated options:

• Chemo Kits (gentle, soothing, nausea-friendly items)

• Surgery Recovery Kits

• New Mom Kits

• Self-Care or Comfort Kits

• “Just Because” kits for women in stressful seasons

Each one is beautifully packaged and genuinely thoughtful.

Why This Makes Sense for Holiday Gifting

Sometimes the most meaningful gifts aren’t festive or flashy; they’re compassionate. They acknowledge that someone is moving through something hard, and they bring a little light into their day.

CaraKit lets you do exactly that.

If you’re looking for a Christmas or holiday gift that says, “I love you, I’m with you, and you matter,” this is one of my top recommendations.

Where to Shop CaraKit

You can explore all their gift boxes here:
CaraKit

Pittman & Davis: A Holiday Gift That Feels Classic, Thoughtful, and Truly Special

There are certain gifts that just feel like the holidays — warm, generous, seasonal, and nostalgic in the best possible way. Pittman & Davis is one of those companies. If you grew up seeing the classic citrus catalogs on your grandmother’s table—or you’ve always admired the idea of sending a box of something fresh, bright, and beautiful—this is the kind of brand that quietly becomes a family tradition.

Founded in 1926 in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, Pittman & Davis has spent almost a century shipping peak-season citrus, orchard fruit, gourmet gifts, and holiday treats across the country. They are not flashy or trendy. They are heritage-level dependable—one of those companies people return to year after year because the quality speaks for itself.

And in a season where everyone is craving ease, comfort, and meaningful simplicity, Pittman & Davis offers something rare: a gift that feels both elevated and effortless.

THE HEART OF THE BRAND: OUTSTANDING FRUIT

Pittman & Davis is best known for their incredible citrus and orchard fruit. This is fruit picked at its ripest—not the early-harvest, mass-distributed grocery store versions most of us settle for.

Their citrus lineup includes:

• Ruby Red Grapefruit (famously sweet and deeply flavorful)

• Navel Oranges and Mandarin varieties

• Holiday citrus medleys that feel like opening sunshine

• Pears in Comice, Bartlett, and other premium varieties

• Honeybells (a limited seasonal favorite NOW available for Christmas deliveries!)

It’s the kind of fruit people talk about weeks later. The kind you set out on the counter because it’s too pretty to hide in the fridge. The kind that actually tastes like winter should taste—bright, refreshing, and full of life.

THEY OFFER MUCH MORE THAN FRUIT

One of the biggest surprises of Pittman & Davis is how extensive their gourmet gifting catalog actually is. While their fruit is the star, they have something for every type of recipient, every taste, and every holiday situation.

Below is some of the incredible offerings.

Savory Gifts & Smoked Meats

For the hearty eaters and holiday hosts, they offer a curated selection of savory options, including:

• Spiral-sliced ham

• Smoked turkey

• Texas-style smoked brisket

• Summer sausage

• Cheese assortments

• Savory snack mixes

• Their adorable Charcuterie House (a savory twist on a gingerbread house, built from meats, cheeses, and crackers)

These are perfect for family gatherings, holiday tables, or recipients who prefer savory over sweet.

Sweet Treats, Chocolates & Baked Goods

Their dessert selection feels like the holidays:

• decadent chocolates & truffles

• holiday candy assortments

• cookies, brownies, and treat boxes

• pralines, toffee, caramels, and classic sweets

These options make wonderful gifts for teachers, coworkers, neighbors, or anyone whose love language is “sweets first.”

🌰 Nuts & Snackable Holiday Tins

Pittman & Davis has an impressive range of snackable gifts, including:

• roasted nuts

• sweet-glazed nuts

• savory nut medleys

• trail mixes

• holiday snack tins

These are universally appreciated and endlessly giftable—especially for people who are hard to shop for.

Seasonal Plants & Holiday Blooms

Their plant selection is small but curated and real:

• Amaryllis

• Paperwhites

• Tulip bulb gift sets

These long-lasting, elegant gifts brighten kitchens, windowsills, and entryways all winter long. Perfect for hosts or family members who appreciate beauty that doesn’t expire after the holiday.

Combination Boxes, Towers & Samplers (And even a yearly subscription!)

This is where Pittman & Davis really shines.

They offer beautifully curated assortments that combine:

• fruit

• sweets

• nuts

• snacks

• cheese & sausage selections

…into one cohesive, gift-ready display. These “best of everything” boxes are ideal when you want a gift that feels abundant and impressive without being overwhelming.

WHY THEIR GIFTS FEEL SO SPECIAL

1. The presentation is beautiful.
Their boxes look elegant the moment they arrive. There’s no extra wrapping needed unless you want to add a personal touch.

2. It works for every type of person.
Family, neighbors, coworkers, corporate gifts, your partner’s parents—fruit and gourmet gifts are universally loved.

3. It’s a luxury that doesn’t create clutter.
Consumable gifts are the unsung heroes of the holiday season. No sizing. No returns. No awkward “thanks, I love it!” moments.

4. It’s effortless, but doesn’t feel impersonal.
Pittman & Davis has that rare balance of being convenient for you and special for them.

5. The quality is consistent.
Not many companies can say they’ve maintained their standards for nearly 100 years. They can.

MY TAKE: A GIFT WITH HEART AND HISTORY

There’s something comforting about gifting things that have history behind them; brands that have stayed true to their craft for almost a century. Pittman & Davis feels like a return to thoughtful gifting: intentional, seasonal, generous, and beautifully simple.

In a season where everything feels loud and fast, sending a box of fruit, sweets, or gourmet treats feels grounding. It’s a reminder of tradition, care, and warmth—the kind of gesture that lands exactly the way you hope it will.

If you’re looking for a holiday gift that people will actually use, enjoy, and remember, Pittman & Davis is one of the best companies to choose. Classic. Reliable. Quietly exceptional.

A Thanksgiving for the People Who Are Just… Tired

Here’s the truth I don’t think enough people admit:

Thanksgiving isn’t “restful” for a lot of us.
Especially if you’ve ever worked in a kitchen, hospitality, service, or anything that demands your entire body for weeks leading up to it.

Most of my adult life, Thanksgiving Day hasn’t been a warm, cozy holiday. It’s been the day I finally stop moving after cooking for everyone else, prepping menus, taking care of guests, surviving chaos, and holding a thousand things together so other people can have their perfect holiday.

By the time the actual day arrives, I’m usually so drained I sleep half of it away.
Not because I’m sad.
Not because I’m ungrateful.
Because my body is shot from weeks of overextending myself.

Last year was different . I wasn’t working, I wasn’t cooking for anyone, and I wasn’t surrounded by the usual holiday noise. I was alone. Not unhappy… just in a strange, quiet place where I was trying to figure out what was next after leaving an incredibly toxic kitchen and losing my apartment to mold. A different kind of exhaustion.

So this year, instead of trying to “force” a perfect holiday, I’m focusing on a few things that actually help; things that make the day softer, calmer, and more doable for people like me who don’t experience Thanksgiving the way Instagram and Facebook tells us we should.

1. Letting the day look however it needs to look

For some people, Thanksgiving is family gatherings and traditions.

For others, it’s a day of recovery.

If your Thanksgiving Day consists of:

• sleeping

• being quiet

• catching up with yourself

• stepping away from everyone

• not cooking a thing

…it’s okay. There’s no moral award for having the busiest holiday.

I’m letting my day look exactly how it needs to look — nothing forced.

2. Doing small things that genuinely help, not the things I “should” do

Not full routines.
Not productivity.
Not reinvention.

Just useful things:

• a shower hotter than it needs to be

• comfortable clothes

• drinking water before coffee

• opening a window for fresh air

• grounding food that doesn’t send my blood sugar into chaos

Tiny choices that actually support my nervous system instead of overwhelm it.

3. Making food simple and supportive

Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be a performance meal.

For some of us, it’s a day of:

• something warm

• something protein-forward

• something that feels grounding

• something nostalgic

• no guilt spirals

• no making five dishes for an audience that isn’t there

If you’re cooking, keep it doable.
If you’re not cooking, that’s perfectly fine too.

4. Keeping the holiday emotionally low-pressure

No forced gratitude speeches.
No “tell everyone what you’re thankful for right now.”
No pretending the whole year was sunshine.

Instead, I’m letting gratitude be quiet and private:

• thankful for the people who showed up

• thankful for the clarity that came from hard seasons

• thankful for the tiny signs of healing

• thankful for strength I didn’t realize I had

• thankful for the softness I’m learning to allow back into my life

It doesn’t have to be poetic.
It just has to be real.

5. Letting rest count as a holiday plan

If all you do on Thanksgiving is:

• sleep

• eat

• sit in silence

• decompress from life

• or just take a breath

That counts.

Not every holiday has to be loud, busy, or emotionally elaborate.
Some years, the win is simply making it through and giving your body a break.

A Softer Thanksgiving

Whether you’re working, resting, alone, with people you love, or somewhere in between… Your Thanksgiving doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.

It’s allowed to be quiet.
It’s allowed to be simple.
It’s allowed to be nothing more than a day where you breathe.

And if this year has been heavy or complicated, let it be at least a little softer on you than the rest of it has been.

SockWell Compression Socks: The Gift of Comfort for People Who Do Everything!

If there’s one thing I’ve learned the hard way, it’s this:
Your feet will absolutely tell on you.

Now, for the record, I never planned on penning a love letter to socks, but after finding these, and the difference they make in MY life, I cannot NOT scream it from the rooftops.

Long days. Long shifts. Stress. Travel. Hormones. Inflammation.
Your feet feel all of it before the rest of your body even catches up.

And if you (or someone you love) spends all day standing, lifting, walking, teaching, cooking, caring, running errands, surviving holidays, or holding everyone else together… then a good pair of compression socks isn’t just a “nice-to-have.”

It’s a tiny miracle.

Enter: Sockwell — the brand I keep mentally filing under “Why didn’t we all know about this sooner?”

**Who Is SockWell?

(And Why Do They Have Raving Fans Across Every Industry)**

Sockwell is a U.S.-based company crafting some of the best Merino wool compression socks in the world, and they do it the right way:

✔ Made in the USA

Every pair is designed and manufactured stateside, which means tighter quality control and more ethical, sustainable production.

✔ Sustainable From Fiber to Finish

They use homegrown American wool from independent sheep farmers, plus high-performance recycled materials to reduce environmental impact.

✔ They Don’t Use Cheap Synthetics

These aren’t the $7.99 Amazon specials that feel like plastic and suffocate your calves.
Sockwell socks are a blend of:

• fine Merino wool

• bamboo rayon

• spandex

• and recycled nylon

The result?
Soft. Breathable. Odor-resistant. Temperature-regulating. Supportive without feeling tight.

✔ A Company Built on Wellness

Their entire mission revolves around supporting people who work hard, stand long hours, travel often, and deserve better foot health without sacrificing comfort or style.

These socks are not “cute gift filler.”
They’re literal quality of life upgrades.

Why Compression Socks Matter (More Than You Think)

Most people don’t realize how much their circulation, lymphatic system, and leg fatigue impact overall health.

SockWell compression works by:

✔ reducing swelling

✔ supporting circulation

✔ helping with venous return

✔ easing leg + calf fatigue

✔ reducing pain after long shifts

✔ preventing blood pooling

✔ helping with plantar fasciitis + heel pain

✔ improving recovery after workouts

This is why nurses swear by them.
Teachers swear by them.
Travelers swear by them.
Pregnant women swear by them.
People with edema, inflammation, or autoimmune issues swear by them.

The relief is real.

Who SockWell Is Perfect For

• Nurses, healthcare workers, EMTs, CNAs

12-hour shifts? Enough said.

• Hair stylists + estheticians

Hours on your feet + concrete floors = compression heaven.

• Teachers

Constant movement, no chance to sit.

• Chefs, bakers, baristas

I actually found SockWell during my “cheffing” days and it CHANGED the game for tired legs and feet.

• Retail + hospitality workers

Walking. Stocking. Standing. Repeat.

• Travelers (especially holiday flyers)

Compression reduces swelling, improves comfort, and helps prevent clots during long travel days.

• People dealing with inflammation, edema, or sluggish lymph

Gentle compression naturally improves fluid movement.

• Athletes + walkers

Their Sockwell Sport line is PERFECT for training, recovery, and injury prevention.

• Anyone with plantar fasciitis

The targeted compression + arch support is a godsend.

• Pregnant or postpartum women

Leg swelling + circulation challenges?
Sockwell was practically built for this season.

• Men who never buy themselves socks but should

You already know.

Why Merino Wool Makes These Socks Different

Let’s talk wool — because if you hear “wool socks” and picture something itchy and chunky from the 90s, Sockwell is here to change your entire worldview.

Their fine Merino wool blend is:

✔ Soft

Not scratchy. Not thick. Just unbelievably comfortable.

✔ Temperature-regulating

They keep your feet warm in winter and cool in summer.

✔ Odor-resistant

Yes, really!

✔ Moisture-wicking

Helps prevent blisters and sweaty feet.

✔ Breathable

Way healthier for skin + circulation than synthetic compression.

This fiber choice is one of the biggest reasons Sockwell stands out above every compression sock brand I’ve tried.

Types of SockWell Compression Socks

Sockwell makes several categories, and they’re worth mentioning separately because they’re actually different:

🧦 1. Everyday Compression (15–20 mmHg)

Perfect for work, walking, standing, and general circulation support.
Soft, comfortable, and ideal for long days.

🧦 2. Firm Compression (20–30 mmHg)

Best for edema, chronic swelling, inflammation, or long travel days.

🧦 3. Sports Compression

For runners, gym-goers, walkers, and athletes who want recovery support.

🧦 4. Plantar Fasciitis Relief Socks

These have targeted arch and heel support and are AMAZING for morning foot pain.

🧦 5. Lifestyle + Fun Patterns

Compression socks that don’t scream “medical.”
They’re cute enough to gift without feeling clinical.

When we insert the links, we can break this down into shoppable sections.

Why SockWell Makes an A+ Holiday Gift

You know I’m picky about gift guides — no clutter, no gimmicks, no junk.

But Sockwell?

Sockwell is the exact type of gift people open and go:

“Oh my God… THANK YOU… I needed this more than you know.”

They’re perfect for:

• teachers

• nurses

• travelers

• grandparents

• postpartum moms

• dads who “don’t need anything”

• athletes

• people dealing with inflammation or chronic pain

It’s a thoughtful gift.
A useful gift.
A comfort gift.
The kind of thing someone doesn’t buy themselves — but absolutely should.

Final Thoughts: Comfort Is a Gift, Too

We spend so much time buying things people don’t actually use.
But gifting someone relief?
Gifting someone comfort?
Gifting someone a better workday, a better travel day, a better recovery day?

That’s thoughtful.
That’s meaningful.
That’s the Rooted Sparrow way of gifting — practical, healing, and beautiful.

And SockWell does all of that in one little pair of socks.

For 20% off your first order, you can use this link.

Holiday Host Gifts They’ll Love (Friendsgiving Approved)

Walking into someone’s home for a holiday gathering is basically walking into a battlefield they spent hours preparing:
scrubbing fingerprints off the microwave, hiding laundry in the bathtub, and pretending their kids don’t normally scream like velociraptors.

So if someone invites you over?
You bring a gift.
But not the panic-purchase candle at checkout, and not a random bottle of wine that tastes like regret.
This year, we’re doing host gifts that actually feel thoughtful, elevated, and useful — without being expensive or try-hard.

These five are crowd-pleasers, and perfect for any home, any friend, any holiday table.

1. A Better Bag of Coffee (The Real Host Survival Kit)

Hosting requires caffeine.
Recovering from hosting requires good caffeine.

This is one of the easiest, most-loved, zero-waste gifts you can give.

• A holiday blend from Peet’s

• A sampler box from Fresh Roasted Coffee

Tie it with a small ribbon + a handwritten note:
“For tomorrow morning. You earned this.”

They’ll love you forever.

2. A Tea Moment for the Friend Who Deserves Peace

If your host isn’t a coffee drinker (or they simply need to re-enter society after everyone leaves), a calming tea setup is instant gold.

Choose things like:

• Loose-leaf varieties

• A pretty infuser

• Botanicals: for a cup of tea with a side of functionality

This feels thoughtful without feeling intimate — the perfect middle ground.

3. A Luxe Hand Cream or Skincare Treat (The Chic Host Gift)

This one always lands. Always.

Hosting destroys hands — cleaning, dishes, prepping, wiping things that were never meant to touch as humans…

Give them something that makes them feel pampered after everyone’s gone.

Try a favorite of mine; eCosmetics for:

• A luxe hand cream

• A hydrating lip treatment

• A gentle face mask

• A beautiful rollerball fragrance

Think “subtle luxury,” not “spa basket from a gas station.”

4. A Gourmet Fruit Box (Fresh, Elegant, Underrated)

Most host gifts fall into sweets, wine, or decor.
Fruit is the one thing that feels elegant without being heavy or sugary.

And honestly?
When you’ve hosted all night, waking up to fresh fruit is heaven.

Use Pittman & Davis for:

• Stunning Citrus Gift Boxes

• Pear gift boxes

• Holiday Towers

It’s wholesome, beautiful, and feels way more expensive than it is.

5. A Stunning Seasonal Plant (A Signature Move)

This is where you shine:
a tiny, beautiful bundle of flowers or greenery (the choice is yours)!

Floral gifts are delicate and these require NO search for a vase, no extra work for your host!

This is the “I came prepared,”
“I respect your home,”
“I love you but also I know how stressful this was”
gift.

These gifts always hit.

Host gifts don’t need to be expensive or dramatic — just thoughtful and real.
These five cover every personality type, every holiday gathering, and every budget.

7 Gifts He’ll Actually Use: Practical Men’s Gift Guide 2025

Let’s be honest: most men only love a handful of things.
And if you’ve ever wrapped a thoughtful gift just for him to forget about it two days later, you know the struggle.

Black Friday is the one of those moments where you can grab the things he’ll actually use, without overspending or wasting time on stuff that ends up in a junk drawer.

This list is simple, practical, and built for real men with real preferences.
No fluff, no pointless gadgets, nothing gimmicky.
Just solid gifts that land.

Let’s get into it.

1. The Boots Men End Up Obsessed With

There is no gift men commit to like a good pair of boots.
Durango has every style imaginable; work, dress, ranch, lace-up, steel toe, composite toe, hiking, and even the fanciest of “new boot goofin’” pair he won’t shut up about.

Black Friday deals (plus free shipping with the links below) make these the strongest “he’ll use this for years” option.

Where to shop:
• Durango Site
• Men’s Boots

2. Coffee That Makes His Mornings Better

If he drinks coffee, this is the easiest slam-dunk gift.
Christmas blends, dark roasts, samplers, coffee subscriptions!

Where to shop:
• Peet’s Coffee
• Coffee Subscription (starting at 3 months!)

3. A Legit Cologne (Not a Cloud of Teen Body Spray)

Men want to smell good — WE WANT them to smell good! But you know they just won’t spend money on themselves.
Perfumania’s Black Friday deals are usually the best of the entire year, and the men’s section is packed.

Where to shop:
• Perfumania
• BOGO Scents (for him & YOU)

4. Grooming Essentials He’ll Actually Use

(eCosmetics – site + men’s category)

Think face wash, shaving products, beard care, moisturizer, SPF.
Stuff he needs daily but never buys.
Perfect stocking stuffers, perfect everyday items.

Where to shop:
• eCosmetics
• Men’s Grooming:

5. A Pair of Socks That Ruin Him for Cheap Ones Forever

These aren’t “cute socks.”
These are serious, high-quality, long-lasting socks he’ll wear nonstop (they even have great options for things like plantar fasciitis!).
Especially good for men who work long hours, stand a lot, or live in boots. SockWell is a sustainable, wool, made in the USA sock worth your time! I LOVE them for my hiking boots.

Where to shop:
SockWell

6. Something That Makes His Space Better

This is a “grown-man upgrade” category ; better sleep, better comfort, better basics.
But, also great for guys who nevvvvver update anything.

Where to shop:

Sleep & Beyond

7. A “Classic Guy” Gift Basket

Perfect for dads, brothers-in-law, work friends, or guys who keep things simple. Grab a useful basket (or toolbox) and toss in a mixture of things that he’d find useful, or grab a REAL giftbox, basket, or some exotic fruit from Pittman & Davis (who currently have 30%).
Think:
• coffee
• snacks
• grooming
• socks
• a hat
• something useful

Where to shop:

Pittman & Davis

BONUS: Wellness Gifts Guys Are Obsessed With This Year

If your guy is into fitness, recovery, podcasts, TikTok trends, or anything “biohacking,” this category is everywhere right now. I found Eden in my own search and am amazed by their site. “Eden is a comprehensive telehealth platform that connects members with licensed healthcare providers for personalized health span care. We offer transparent access to both FDA-approved and compounded medications across multiple wellness categories. Eden is a trusted destination for science-backed medical guidance, ongoing provider support, and personalized treatment plans designed around each member's unique needs.”

Peptides

Men are suddenly into peptides, and Black Friday deals make them way more accessible than usual.
Think recovery, performance, routines — the stuff they’re already scrolling.

Where to shop:
• Glutathione injections
• NAD nasal sprays?

CBD for Sleep, Stress, or Recovery

Simple, practical, and a great add-on gift.
Gummies, oils, or topicals depending on what he prefers.

Where to shop:
• Eden’s Herbals

Stay ahead of this holiday season!

If you’re shopping for a man this season, stick to the things he’ll actually use: boots, coffee, everyday essentials, and a few upgrades he’d never buy for himself but will absolutely appreciate.

Happy shopping, and good luck out there.

Thoughtful Gift Giving for People You Love (Even When You’re Broke, Busy, or Overwhelmed)

There’s this moment every November where I look around and realize we’ve officially hit the season of forced cheer, fuzzy socks, and the annual internal debate of: “Do I give gifts this year… or do I simply vanish into the woods and let the birds raise me?”

Because let’s be honest:
Gift giving can be overwhelming even in a normal year.
Add in stress, exhaustion, healing, rebuilding your life, and the emotional roller coaster of simply existing in 2025… and suddenly gift giving feels like a group project nobody asked for.

But here’s the beautiful thing I’ve been learning:
Thoughtful gifts have absolutely nothing to do with money.
Or perfection.
Or being the friend who buys matching wrapping paper and coordinates ribbon like she’s auditioning for a Hallmark internship.

Thoughtful gifts are about noticing people.
Seeing them.
Honoring who they actually are.

And that? That doesn’t require a trust fund.
It requires heart. It requires intention. It requires a tiny bit of creativity.
And maybe some tape you find in a junk drawer.

So if you’re overwhelmed, behind, broke-ish, or just tired of the same old “favorite things” lists; this is for you.
Here is my cozy approach to gift giving that actually means something.

1. Start with one real thing you know about them

People don’t remember the gift.
They remember the feeling of being understood.

Think about the person you’re shopping for:

• What do they talk about constantly?

• What makes them laugh?

• What’s their comfort food?

• What do they wish they had more time for?

• What is something small they love that everyone else overlooks?

One tiny detail—just ONE—is enough to build an entire thoughtful gift around.

If your sister is chronically cold?
Cozy gift.

If your friend keeps saying they want to get healthier but has no plan?
Little wellness starter.

If someone is going through a hard season?
Comfort gift.

Notice one thing.
Build around that one thing.
Boom—thoughtful.

2. Thoughtful doesn’t mean expensive

Some of the best gifts I’ve ever received cost less than $15.

A handwritten letter.
A picture someone printed and framed.
A playlist someone made for me.
A jar of homemade seasoning from a friend’s kitchen because “this reminded me of you.”

We underestimate the power of small, heartfelt details because the world is always screaming BUY MORE.
But the truth is:
Most people don’t need more stuff, they need more connection.

A “thinking of you” gift lands deeper than a $200 bundle of generic holiday junk.

3. The most thoughtful gifts make daily life easier

This is one of my favorite hacks.
People rarely buy themselves the little things that smooth out their day, but they feel cared-for when someone else does.

Ask yourself:

What’s one small thing this person struggles with on a daily basis?

• A friend who never drinks enough water? Get her a cute water bottle or electrolyte packs.

• A partner who is overworked? A cozy blanket and five “free nap” coupons.

• A parent who forgets self-care? A bath soak or a calming tea.

Thoughtful gifts solve small problems.

They whisper “I see how you live. I want to make it a little easier.”

4. Personalized doesn’t mean monogrammed

People hear “personalized” and think embroidery machines or $85 custom Etsy orders.
Absolutely not.

Personalized simply means specific to them.

Examples:

• A recipe card with a dish they’ve told you they miss

• A book in the exact genre they’re obsessed with

• A candle that smells like something they love (vanilla, pine, citrus, clean laundry)

• A small framed quote that fits their personality

• A jar of “encouragement notes” they can pull from on hard days

It’s not about being fancy.
It’s about being accurate.

5. Share the things that helped you this year

This is one of my favorite kinds of gifts because it builds connection and says, “You’re part of my life.”

If you used something that genuinely helped you; emotionally, physically, spiritually, practically—gift it.

• A journal you used

• A cozy habit that changed you

• A devotional or book

• A skincare item that soothed your face

• A random kitchen tool that somehow made life easier

• A playlist you made during a healing season

It’s like saying:
“This helped me. Maybe it will help you, too.”

That’s intimacy.
That’s thoughtful.

6. Write something. Anything. Don’t overthink it.

We live in a world where people ghost each other while actively texting from their phones.
A handwritten note is basically an heirloom at this point.

It doesn’t have to be poetic.

It can be:

“I’m glad you exist.”
“You’re one of my favorite people.”
“This year was hard but you made it better.”
“I’m proud of the woman you’re becoming.”

The note is often the actual gift.
The thing they keep.
The thing they reread.
The thing that matters most.

7. Give them something that creates a moment, not clutter

The best gifts invite a little joy into someone’s life.

• A cozy movie night bundle

• A “slow morning” kit with tea + fuzzy socks

• A “self date” in a bag

• A little journal + nice pen + encouragement

• A bag of their favorite treats + a candle

• A simple supper kit with your favorite seasoning blend + recipe

People remember the experience more than the item.

8. If you’re broke? Share your time.

Please hear me: thoughtful gifts do not require money.

You can gift:

• An afternoon of help with errands

• A ride somewhere

• Babysitting

• Cleaning help

• Cooking them a meal

• A walk + talk date

• A playlist of songs that remind you of them

• A heartfelt letter

• A framed photo you already have

If you are rebuilding your life (like I am), your TIME is often far more meaningful than your wallet.

9. Your heart matters more than the wrapping

Stop comparing your wrapping to TikTok girlies who store ribbons by color in a humidity-controlled craft room.

Your gift does NOT need:

• twine

• kraft paper

• a wax seal

• artisanal tags

• dried oranges sun-dried on the Tuscan coast

• or a 17-step wrap tutorial using only your knees and prayer

If it’s wrapped, it’s wrapped.
If it’s in a bag, it’s in a bag.
If it’s handed over raw dog with zero packaging?
Guess what. STILL thoughtful.

People care about the meaning, not the ribbons (but I DO like ribbon, YOU don’t have to).

10. The truest thoughtful gift is this: you cared enough to try

That’s it.
That’s the magic.
People feel it instantly.

Thoughtful gifts say:

“I see you.”
“I pay attention to you.”
“You matter to me.”
“I know your little joys.”
“I wanted you to feel special.”

And it doesn’t take perfection.
It just takes heart.

So if you’re tired, overwhelmed, healing, anxious, broke, rebuilding, or simply doing life with one brain cell left—just know:
You can still give gifts that make people feel deeply loved.

And that, my friend, is the whole point.

A Joyful Nighttime Routine

With the holidays coming in hot, I’ve been thinking a lot about one of my favorite words: intentionality.  Not the Pinterest-perfect kind where everything is beige and serene and formatted just so, but the real kind. The kind you reach for when you can feel the season speeding toward you and you want to prepare your heart instead of react to the chaos once the stockings have been hung by the fireside with care. 

This time of year has a way of making everything feel a little louder; worries, our hopes, loneliness, our lists, our “how is it dark again already?” rage.  And something I’ve learned in my years on this earth, is if I don’t purposefully create a slow down and a little softness ahead of time, December will happily chew me up and spit me out somewhere between a grocery store aisle and a parking lot meltdown.

So instead of letting life happen at me, I’ve built a little nighttime groove, if you will.  A cozy, joyful, intentional little sequence that brings me back to myself before the season can run me over.

As a way to encourage you to join me in learning that it’s important for us to be intentional with ourselves, I present to you, your joyful nighttime groove. Not a ritual, not a performance, not a productivity hack.  Just a gentle sequence of small things that help bring back your spark when you’re stretched thin and trying to be a person again.

Because joy isn’t always something you feel.
Sometimes it’s something you choose;
one tiny, gentle moment at a time.

⭐ Step 1: A Transition Moment

There’s the daytime version of you, right?  The one dealing with emails, dishes, dogs, dentists, groceries, drama, and whatever emotional explosion arrived at 3:17 p.m. for no good reason.

Then there’s nighttime you. The one who needs warmth, quiet, and about 4.5 minutes of peace so you don’t spiral into existential dread while brushing your teeth.

Your transition moment can be tiny:

• closing the laptop

• dimming a lamp

• lighting a cozy, non–safe-word-related candle

• turning on a playlist that feels goooood

You’re just telling your nervous system,

“Hey darlin’… we’re done. Come sit a spell.”

⭐ Step 2: Warm Something Up

This is where the joy starts sneaking in.

A cup of bone broth, tea, cocoa, warm non-dairy milk for those who choose it — anything warm that your hands can wrap around. Humans weren’t designed to self-soothe with cold beverages. Warmth reminds your body you’re safe, and reminding your body you’re safe is what creates less of the feeling of that spiral.

⭐ Step 3: Wash the Day Off

Forget 12-step routines or anything that looks like it came from a dermatologist’s TED Talk.

Your winter groove involves:

• a gentle cleanser

• a hydrating toner

• a serum your skin actually likes

• a comforting moisturizer

• maybe an oil if you’re feeling extra fancy

The point isn’t perfection.
It’s presence.

You’re not scrubbing.
You’re not fixing.
You’re not punishing your face for existing.

You’re saying,

“Here. I’ll take care of you for a minute.”

⭐ Step 4: Lower the Lights

Winter joy is never found under overhead lighting.
That’s just science.

Use:

• lamps

• twinkle lights

• candles

• your Christmas tree (elite winter-groove lighting)

The goal?
Make your space feel like a warm hug.

⭐ Step 5: Anchor Yourself in One Small Joy

Not forced happiness.
Not toxic positivity.
One tiny thing that reminds you you’re still here.

Some nights it’s:

• reading three pages

• watching an old Christmas movie

• writing down something that you’re looking forward to

• sitting with your dog

• a hair gloss

• if you’re like me, listening to a song that feels like memory and hope mixed together

This is the spark step.
It doesn’t have to be huge.
It just shifts the air a little.

⭐ Step 6: Set Up Tomorrow’s First Soft Thing

Future-you deserves something gentle waiting for her.

Lay out your skincare.
Put a fresh cup under the coffee maker.
Set your water bottle by the bed.
Lay out your favorite sweatshirt.

These tiny things remind you:

“You’re worth preparing for.”

⭐ Step 7: Tuck Yourself In

Your nighttime groove finishes with the simplest joy of all:

Getting horizontal.

Blanket on.
Cold air on your face.
Warm dog at your feet.
Phone on DND

You don’t have to feel joyful to practice joy.
Sometimes the groove is the joy.
Sometimes the gentle, boring, human things are what keep you going.

And if you’re feeling heavy this year?
If you’re tired?
If you’re alone?
If you’re rebuilding?
If you’re choosing yourself one tiny act at a time?

That counts.
That matters.
That is joy.

🌿 Why I Take NAC, Glutathione, and Magnesium Every Day

I’m certainly not someone who has it all figured out, but as I start to rebuild this new chapter of my life, I keep thinking how much I wish I’d had someone to ask questions to. All the supplements, the hormone shifts, the fatigue—it can feel like a full-time job just trying to make sense of it.

So I wanted a place to share what’s actually worked for me. No gimmicks, no sales pitch, just real-world things that have made a noticeable difference. Because I know how overwhelming it is to sift through endless advice that never seems to fit real life.

I can be a little obsessive when it comes to research and problem-solving. Living with PCOS and endometriosis taught me that gathering my own information is usually the best route. And one thing I wish someone had told me years ago—especially after having my gallbladder removed—is to never skip a digestive enzyme. It makes such a difference in how I digest and absorb food.

Outside of that, I have three absolute non-negotiables: NAC, Glutathione, and Magnesium Glycinate.

🧪 NAC

This one quietly changed things for me. It supports my liver, helps clear up my skin, and somehow keeps my mood more balanced. When I stop taking it, I feel the difference within a few days.

✨ Glutathione

Think of this as my internal cleanup crew’s boss. It’s an antioxidant powerhouse that helps my body handle stress, inflammation, and all the modern junk that builds up. My skin looks calmer, and my energy steadier, when I stay consistent with it.

💤 Magnesium Glycinate

This one is pure nervous-system love. It helps me sleep, keeps my anxiety in check, and supports muscle recovery. It’s simple, gentle, and reliable—exactly what my body needs more of.

Healing, for me, has become less about doing everything and more about staying consistent with what truly supports me. These three supplements, along with a good digestive enzyme, have become part of the foundation that keeps me steady while I keep growing.

If you’re navigating your own version of this journey, I’ve been collecting the tools and information that have made the biggest difference on my Gut Health | Hormone Balance | Supplements Pinterest board. No hype—just real, practical things that are helping me build a stronger, steadier body from the inside out.

Healing My Skin (and Learning to Love It Again)

How I’m Transitioning My Skincare from Summer to Fall

(This post contains affiliate links through DermSilk — at no extra cost to you.)

I’ve struggled with my skin off and on since my teens. For years, I thought makeup had to be my safety net; the only way I could feel pretty, because my skin would never be the reason. But as I’ve been healing my body from years of burnout and focusing on deeper nourishment, I’ve started realizing something: my skin is part of my story, too.

A Korean spa owner once shouted at me that I was a “truck driver” and needed serious skincare. I owned food trucks at the time, so… she wasn’t wrong. I wish I’d listened sooner, because spoiler alert, she was right! I loved facials, but in the same way I loved acrylic nails at sixteen… for the instant transformation, not the long-term care.

Now, I’m learning that taking care of myself isn’t selfish; it’s a requirement. And, surprisingly, skincare has become a surprisingly beautiful entry point for that. I have hormonal, reactive, red-prone skin (ginger life), and I used to think it was just who I was. I didn’t realize those were signs my skin was asking for help.

These days, when I feel that familiar rush of wanting to do everything at once, I remind myself: this is excitement. Excitement to learn how to care for myself. Excitement to experience real healing — inside and out.

I’m a product of the apricot scrub + Amazon glycolic acid era. My skin wasn’t built for that. Barrier repair has become my anchor — especially after years of exposure to mold, cigarette smoke, hot kitchens, and long truck shifts. My face has seen some life.

At nearly 38, I’m ready for products with ingredients that actually do what they promise. That’s how I found DermSilk — a site that sells authentic, medical-grade skincare from brands like SkinMedica, Neocutis, Obagi, and EltaMD, without needing a spa visit or dermatologist appointment.

And just in time: they’re running their Black Friday Event — 30% off sitewide with code “FRIDAY.” If you’ve ever wanted to try real, esthetician-grade skincare, now’s the moment to do it without guilt.

🍂 My Fall Skincare Transition Routine

There’s always that moment when the air changes, when the sunlight softens, the mornings feel quieter, and your skin starts craving comfort again. Summer skincare is about staying light and breathable; fall skincare is about repair, hydration, and balance.

Here’s how I’m easing into a fall rhythm:

1. Trade Gel Cleansers for Creamy Ones

After months of oil-free formulas, I switch to something richer and more soothing. Cream or milk-based cleansers protect the barrier and prevent that tight, flaky feeling that sneaks up in October.

2. Layer Serums Instead of Skipping Them

Lightweight hydrating serums with hyaluronic acid or peptides bring life back to dull skin. I’ve been eyeing SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator — a cult favorite for good reason. It gives bounce without heaviness.

3. Add Back a Real Moisturizer

Fall is the season for moisture recovery. Look for ceramide-rich formulas that calm irritation and strengthen your barrier. If you’re still using a summer gel, this is your sign to upgrade to Neocutis Bio Cream Firm — deeply restorative but still elegant under makeup.

4. Don’t Skip Sunscreen — I Just Switch It

The sun might feel gentler, but UV damage doesn’t take a break. I move from mattifying formulas to something more nourishing, like EltaMD UV Restore Broad-Spectrum SPF 40. It’s silky, slightly tinted, and feels like skincare, not sunscreen.

5. Treat Fall Skincare Like Self-Care

It’s more than products. It’s the actual act of TAKING CARE OF YOU — a few extra seconds to massage in your moisturizer, maybe a candle burning nearby, maybe a blanket waiting. It’s one of the quiet ways we tell ourselves, you’re safe now. I have a little USB fan that I use to help dry my layers if I’m layering products!

Final Thoughts

Your skin doesn’t need an overhaul; it needs gentle adaptation. As the seasons shift, so do we. A little more softness, a little more patience, and the right ingredients can change everything.

If you’re ready to explore medical-grade skincare that actually delivers, you can browse DermSilk’s Fall Event — 30% off sitewide with code FRIDAY and start small. Even one upgraded moisturizer can change how your skin feels every day.

The Dog Who Saved Me

The Dog Who Saved Me

(Intro image: a soft photo of Desi’s collar, paw print, or sunlight through a window — something quiet, not posed.)

I mentioned losing the love of my life, Desi Lou Arnez, a few posts back. I think this is finally the right time to find the words I’ve never been able to find — about the little bitty dog who saved my life.

It’s strange to sit here, tears in my eyes, trying to write about him while “puppy music” plays for Waylon, who’s learning to self-soothe in his kennel right behind me. I wish they could have met each other.

When Life Fell Apart

It’s always a long story, isn’t it? How we end up where we are. How the tragedies find us.

When I lost my home of seven years to toxic mold, I was already stretched thin. I agreed to help a friend in their kitchen for a while, trying to hold myself together. Another young woman who worked there kept insisting I come stay with her until I figured things out.

So I did. I hired junk removal companies, threw away nearly everything I owned, and took Desi across the river, praying that being away from the mold would give him more time. His congestive heart failure had worsened, but he loved that new place — the new friends, the cats, the fresh air.

And then, life did what it does. It broke again.

Two weeks before my thirty-seventh birthday, everything collapsed — except this time, I got to be with Desi every day, the way I always wished I could be. Within a month, one of the cats attacked him. A big tom — almost twenty pounds heavier — and my six-pound baby never stood a chance. He fought so hard. We spent a night at the emergency vet. They stabilized him, and he came home.

We spent Christmas in my hometown — his favorite place. Ham steak. Walks. Sunshine. His parks. His people. And then, we said our see-you-agains.

We built a little box from old barn wood and buried him on his favorite back road, where he could see the river and feel the sun all day long.

The world went black.

The Aftermath

In that kind of finality, everything else feels pointless. I was taking care of the young woman I lived with, applying for jobs, interviewing for positions I almost got but never did. I kept the apartment clean and made meals because if I stopped, I think I might have stopped breathing too.

I’ve always been someone who keeps going if someone else needs me. It’s a survival skill — and a curse.

When another disaster hit a few months later, I went into a full C-PTSD spiral. Rolling panic attacks. Sleepless nights. The same suffocating feeling I’d had when my life burned down the first time. I couldn’t eat. Couldn’t think. Couldn’t stop crying.

I scoured the internet for what was wrong with me, desperate to know if I was “too far gone.” I did the stupid breathing exercises. I cut sugar. I ate soup and bone broth and supplements. I bought a vibration plate, a weighted vest, a weighted blanket. I prayed. I sobbed. I took Epsom salt baths until my skin hurt.

The detox was intense — it had to be. My body had survived for years on diet pills, cigarettes, Diet Coke, and espresso. When I read that anger was tied to liver stagnation, it hit me in the chest. My body, my hormones, my emotions — all clogged. And so, I started over again.

At the very bottom, the last thing I wanted to do was choose myself. But I didn’t even recognize who I was anymore.

The Spark

When I used to run my businesses, I talked about finding the joy — and when you couldn’t find it, being the joy.
But there was no joy left. None.

And yet, even at my worst, I’m stubborn.
I decided that couldn’t be the story.

I couldn’t just die.

So I started reading. Neuroscience. Nervous systems. How mineral deficiencies make healing harder. I cried until I couldn’t move. I listened to bird sounds for hours and tapped and prayed.

And then — the smallest spark.

The Puppy

My very wonderful man friend started gently saying, “Maybe it’s time for a puppy.”

I didn’t think I could. I didn’t think I deserved another chance to love something that much. But he showed me a photo of a little dog from a small town with a sad story, and my heart skipped for the first time in months.

Waylon came in like an actual wrecking ball — mostly in the best ways. Of course, puppies are chaos. But he was joy incarnate.

Like me, he was afraid of everything. And so, I had to be brave — for him.

Every day, he made me a little braver. Sometimes he made me laugh so hard it startled me — then I’d realize that was my laugh. Mine.

The first few weeks, I grieved Desi harder than ever before. But I realized that all the love I thought I hadn’t gotten to give him was now being poured into Waylon. And that brought peace.

Waylon gets me outside in the morning sun, even when I don’t want to. He makes me walk laps instead of scrolling. He reminds me how much I want to live somewhere quiet again — in the country, where we can nap in the sunshine.

Out of everything I’ve lost, losing Desi was the hardest.
He was the greatest joy I’ve ever known.
The most unconditional love.
The reason I stayed on this planet.

And without him, I would never have been ready for Waylon — never been the soft place this new little soul needed to land.

Letting It Out

Now, as I’m writing this, sobbing again, I can feel something loosening. Maybe this is what it means to release it — to finally let it move out of my body instead of keeping it locked behind the ribcage.

Because when you’ve spent your whole life compartmentalizing, you forget how important it is to get it out.

And maybe that’s what nervous system healing really is —
feeling safe enough to tell the truth about what hurts,
and not staying so locked down
that you never let love in again.

Finding My Way Back to the Kitchen

For a long time I thought I hated being in the kitchen at home. After leaving the kitchen professionally, I’ve learned I actually love it. My favorite thing? Don’t laugh—freshly folded and tucked-away tea towels. That is my jam.

If you showed up unannounced, you’d probably find me with a towel over my shoulder, three different beverages on the counter, and music playing just loud enough.

Is my kitchen Instagram-worthy? No.
Do I love it? More than just about anything.

Every visceral memory of both of my grandmothers centers in their kitchens—me at the table, or standing on a stool to shred cheese or roll pickle wraps. The smell of coffee and the sound of humming women are the foundation that built this love inside me.

Why a Clean Kitchen Feels Like Safety

My favorite feeling is walking into a clean kitchen in the morning with everything I need for the day.
In the evenings, especially when I feel anxious or overwhelmed, I turn on Gilmore Girls, light a candle, flip on the three lamps in my cozy kitchen, and start my reset—put away dishes, make tea, wipe counters, polish the sink.

Yes, I’m the oddball who can’t relax until the water spots are gone. We all have our joys in life.

I rotate décor with the seasons, throw together simmer pots of citrus and herbs, and make myself focus on whatever task is right in front of me instead of letting my brain spiral.

The more intentional I am with the spaces I spend the most time in, the more joy I find being there.

My Little Systems

I don’t have babies at home, but I’ve cleaned up after teenage boys, partners, and less-than-ideal roommates. This isn’t about perfection—it’s about making spaces functional and joyful enough to draw you back in.

I live for reset moments. As a kid, I stayed up late reorganizing my bedroom. That energy never left me, so now I do little kitchen resets weekly to keep things fresh.

Once a week I:

• swap out my seasonal “pretty” towels—the ones no one’s allowed to touch,

• change flowers (about $15 worth into tiny jars or thrifted vases),

• and rearrange them through the house so it feels like new ones were just delivered.

(Possible pull quote)

“When you’ve never really stayed home, you need little things that make it feel lively.”

RO water, a pinch of sugar, and a drop of trace minerals keep those flowers alive for almost two weeks.

Meal Prep That Feels Like Care

Usually I start my reset after a little mise en place—everything in its place. I chop veggies for the week, make a protein for Monday morning when I break my fast, and cook a batch of potatoes or rice.

Cooked and cooled potatoes (and rice) are easier on blood sugar—PCOS ladies, that’s how you still get to have carbs—and they’re good for the gut.

(Affiliate note placeholder: link future magnesium trace minerals, RO filter, or kitchen tools.)

Creating Comfort, Not Clutter

I know the girlies love their chemically perfumed “holiday” sprays, but give me a simmer pot or a candle and I’m happy. I prep my RO water filter, set up my drink station with options that aren’t “just water,” and get the kitchen ready for service Monday morning.

Everything I once did for guests, I started doing for myself.

On days when I struggle to know how to take care of me, I think back to the little touches that made service special—and do them for her, the woman who forgot she was worth the same effort.

(Pull quote)

“I started treating myself as someone I’m joyful to bake bread for and host.”

Consideration as a Form of Love

How often do you forget to do the little things for you?
I honestly didn’t even know it was an option.

There are still moments every day when I say out loud,

“Chloe, you can…”
and insert whatever thing I’ve been denying myself because I forget I’m allowed to consider me.

And isn’t that the highest form of love—consideration?

So this week, I hope you find a way to love on yourself.
Even if just for a moment, consider how impactful it could be if you did.

(End image: folded tea towels, candle light, and maybe a little cup of tea steaming in the background.)

The Supplement That ACTUALLY Helped Me Breathe Again

If we’re going to be friends here, I think we have to start with honesty.

Honesty is always the best policy.

So, for a little reference, let’s start with how I got to the place I started from: the underbelly of rock bottom.

The simplest way to frame this is to say my nervous system is broken. And if we’re being frank, it’s probably been broken for a very long time. I just didn’t understand what a nervous system was or how it shaped the days and weeks that felt like I was being dragged straight through hell.

““I just didn’t understand what a nervous system was or how it shaped the days and weeks that felt like I was being dragged straight through hell.””

— me

I’m sure many of you can imagine it — months, years even, working 80 to 100 hours a week in a physical job. Hot kitchens, snow blowing through the hood, constant deliveries, 50-pound cases, stooping, never sitting except for a quick bathroom break, rarely eating.

Am I superwoman? Are any of us who push that hard? Of course not.

I lived on six shots of espresso at a time, used to swallow my prescription diet pills (yes, plural), and chased it with at least one 5-Hour Energy later. Usually another while I did my makeup in the work bathroom or my car before service — because, obviously, a show pony has to put on her face.

By nine p.m., I was starving to the point of nausea. I didn’t cook for myself; I didn’t even keep food at home. I ate whatever was open, grabbed premade meals from the grocery store, or begged my sous chef to fire something off. Then I’d fall into bed around midnight, only to get up by five, shower, unload deliveries, plan menus, organize events, and prep the whole show again.

I had no idea I could actually break. People had warned me for years, “you can’t work that hard.” I could hear Grandma Ninny’s voice saying I was doing too much, that if I didn’t slow down I’d have a “backset.”

She was right.

Eventually I hit a point where no cold shower, no face in a bowl of ice water, no hands in hot Epsom salt, no diet pills or 5-Hour Energies could revive me. My body gave out.

It took over a year and a half after falling apart to even begin to understand how much work it would take to find my way back to myself.

Finding the Starting Line

Who knew that meals, a few supplements, actual sleep, and a Do-Not-Disturb setting could start to make me feel human again?

Did I start with more than 30 supplements? Pretty much.
Did I gut my pantry and my life all at once? Absolutely.
Do I recommend that? Not even a little.

But I’ve always been all-or-nothing.

Instead of setting up kitchens that made life easier for everyone but me, I started building up the woman I’d let down for so long. Vitamin lists. Timing charts for what to take with or without fat and how long to wait between doses. Nutrition trackers, because eating — shockingly — felt foreign.

People laughed when I said I didn’t eat my own food, but I found joy in other people eating what I made. I never learned to feed myself.

Nutrition has been my biggest struggle. I still fight to eat three meals a day. My brain, a little obsessive at times, gets overwhelmed by all the information and all the contradictory rules. I felt like I was failing every meal I didn’t get “right.”

With PCOS, endometriosis, no gallbladder, and years of extreme cortisol from both my career and personal life, I had to start at the very beginning. So I chose to do a full liver detox.

Some days it felt like nothing was working. I’d quit phentermine. I’d quit smoking after almost twenty years. Desi Lou Arnez — the love of my life — had died. I was drowning.

There were other reckonings, but for now we’ll just say I needed a way out. I didn’t know what my nervous system was, but I knew it was broken.

Learning to Heal

• [Magnesium glycinate supplement link here]

• [GABA product link here]

When you realize the first part of healing is figuring out what the heck your nervous system even is, you go down every rabbit hole.

That’s where I found GABA and magnesium glycinate. That was the beginning of feeling like the world might not swallow me whole.

I’ve always been tough — called “too sensitive” since childhood, which means you learn to armor up fast. But by this point I didn’t feel tough anymore. I felt empty.

There was one person who believed otherwise, and if he hadn’t been in my corner, this story might never have been written. He said, “Let’s go get some of that GABA you keep reading about.” So off we went, wandering the aisles of supplement stores and natural groceries.

It started with those two things — GABA and magnesium glycinate — and little by little, I could breathe again. And sleep.

Eight hours. At a time.

For a woman who had lived on four or five hours a night for most of a decade, it felt like absolute luxury. And it was.

Once I started breathing and sleeping, mornings were different. I drank hot lemon water when I woke up, learned which supplements needed an empty stomach, started to feel hungry again in the morning — something I hadn’t even thought was possible. I added clean protein wherever I could. My heart stopped racing out of my chest.

I still jump at too many sounds, and everything still feels too loud some days, but I have systems now. Ice packs in my bedroom freezer and the kitchen. A little bottle in the fridge with aloe, trace minerals, and rose water for when my skin flushes for no reason.

Each routine was a quiet way of telling my body it was safe.

What Healing Looks Like

I still catch myself whispering, “You’re safe, Chloe, you’re fine,” like I’m half-annoyed with the younger version of me who couldn’t even keep her phone on ring. But the more I practiced real care — not productivity disguised as care — the safer I actually felt.

I started jotting down how I felt at the end of the day. Not paragraphs, just enough to have evidence that something was shifting.

As I added supplements, changed routines, and edited my food, I had proof that things were working.

I stopped laughing at the wellness people and bone-broth Pinterest boards. I finally understood why they cared about all these things. My gut was a mess, and until I healed that, everything else would stay a mess.

Some days it’s still overwhelming. It’s a lot to learn when no one ever taught you how to take care of yourself. But after 37 years of taking care of everyone and everything else, surely I could do it for me.

And that’s what this is about — learning to take care of ourselves. Because as cliché as it sounds, you cannot pour from an empty, shattered cup.

Why I’m Sharing This

It’s my mission now to make sure others never get as far down as I did. This is how I got there, and this is how I began climbing back.

I had to change my methods. For me. For saving what’s left of the world I love. For holding space for the broken and the desperate who are trying to heal.

So here it is — my love letter to those who feel so lost and so broken they can’t even say it out loud.

I wish it weren’t true that the smallest changes make the biggest difference. But it is. There is always a way.

And for the rest of my life, I’ll keep teaching this to the overachievers, the workaholics, the stay-at-home moms who do it all, the parentified oldest children, and the “I’ll just work harder” crowd.

Because what I’ve learned, more than anything, is that I didn’t need to be tougher.
I just needed a little love.

If you’re new here and want the full backstory, you can start with Why I Started The Rooted Sparrow. Or, if you’d rather see how those nervous-system habits started to spill over into my home life, you can read Learning to Stay Home (and Actually Enjoy It).

Why I started The Rooted Sparrow

If you are anything like me, you built a life that never really felt like your own. And by built, I mean you taped together scraps from the junk drawer of life and called it “good enough.”

I had a marriage that was over before it really began. I was not having the babies my parents dreamed I would. I was told “Boss Babe” energy would fill the holes of not having kids, or Sunday suppers, or a family that gathered. And in some ways, it worked. That drive got me on Food Network. It won me awards. It made me a chef people in St. Louis knew by name.

And it completely collapsed me as a human.

This is the story of a woman raised to be a people-pleasing, co-dependent, overachieving workaholic. And how at 37, I let it all fall away, in hopes of finally discovering who I really am.

When the Glue Finally Cracks

I was the glue. In my marriage. In my family. In my work. The “piece” everyone counted on to keep everything else pieced together.

When you stop fixing everyone else’s mess, you find out pretty quickly you don’t actually have much of a community at all. That truth isn’t pity. It’s reality. And it broke me in ways I didn’t see coming.

Because here’s the thing. My life hadn’t actually started. Not my life. I had been a metronome keeping time for everyone else. The beat I needed? It didn’t matter.

And when the beat finally stopped, I realized I didn’t know what my nervous system was, why it was fried, or how to even begin fixing it.

Breaking What Was Passed Down

I used to think the phrase “generational curse breaker” was dramatic. Same. But here I am, realizing that is exactly what I am trying to do.

Survival skills learned in unhealthy family systems only take you so far. They make you reliable, productive, useful. But they do not make you whole.

After months of breaking my own heart open, I realized this rebuilding wasn’t optional anymore. If I wanted to feel like I belonged in this world, I had to learn the basics of living — safety, structure, joy — things I should have had all along.

So I began writing it all down. Every lesson. Every practice. Every small hinge that moved a big door. Not because I had answers, but because surely someone else needed to hear what I so desperately needed myself.

What You Will Find Here

Wellness and Beauty
Clean swaps I actually use. Nervous system care. Supplements that help. Simple seasonal body practices.

Seasonal Living
Rental-friendly homemaking. Sunday resets. Pantry basics. Balcony planters. Autumn anchors.

Life Rebuild
Essays on finances, faith, nervous system healing, and how to start again after ashes.

Waylon’s Corner
The puppy who reminds me daily to laugh, go outside, and begin again.

What I Hope This Becomes

I hope this feels like stepping into a warm kitchen. Something simple on the stove. A dog underfoot. Someone handing you a glass of water and asking how you really are.

I hope you find ideas that make your next week lighter, and a community that makes you feel less alone. I hope you see that starting again is not punishment. It is permission.

If you’ve ever wondered what rebuilding actually looks like day to day, I wrote about how I started healing my nervous system from the ground up — from supplements to sleep — in The Supplements That Helped Me Breathe Again.

If You Are Starting Again

Here are five small things that helped me:

• Eat protein with your first meal
• Swap one personal-care product for a cleaner version when it runs out
• Pick a 15 minute home rhythm and repeat it daily
• Step into sunlight for ten minutes
• Tell one trusted person you are starting again, and what you want to be true a year from now

Thank you for being here. Truly. If you need a sign to begin, consider this it.

— Chloe