Potions, lotions, & suppies
Welcome back to Healing Forward! In this newsletter, I’m sharing stories, musings, insights, and recommendations that have guided me on my path to healing forward. This week, I’m sharing my favorite potions, lotions, & supplements that make me feel my best.
My Philosophy Around Supplements
Quick note on my approach to supplementation. I strive to get most of my vitamins, nutrients, and minerals from whole food sources. I don’t believe there is any “magic pill” that will change your life and transform your health. Similar to my approach to nutrition, what has worked for me doesn’t mean it’s right for you– it’s highly bio-individual. It’s all about experimentation, listening to your body’s needs, and using products that feel sustainable and easy to incorporate into your life.
That being said, my health is the number one thing I love to invest in. If you know me, you know I am obsessed with feeling my absolute best, and I love me some holistic potions and remedies. If I’m being totally honest, I will try just about anything in the name of health and longevity!
Case in point, a dear friend of mine was staying at our place a few months ago. She knows how much I love supplements and was already negging me for our “supplement station” that is packed to the gills. We had a big bag of raw moss on the counter (it was purely decorative to add to our planters BTW). With deep concern she asked me, “Allie…. Are you eating raw moss?” In that moment, I realized my supplement obsession had possibly gone TOO FAR.
Since then, I’ve been reassessing my supplement protocol. I’ve pared it down and am only repurchasing the products I take on the daily and notice a real difference.
One last caveat, I want to reiterate that while I love all of these products, the things that are actually going to move the needle with your health are the boring, not so sexy things… eating nutrient dense whole foods, consistent exercise, high quality sleep, prioritizing your mental health, etc. If you feel far from your health goals, please focus on getting these things right before spending extra $$$ on supplements!
OK I think that was enough disclaimers!
POWDERS N POTIONS
Morning/Daytime
Electrolytes
If you know me, you know I stan LMNT Electrolytes. I love LMNT because they’re super effective for rehydrating the body, restoring fluid balance, preventing cramping/fatigue, but without all the unnecessary sugars or additives. They are one of the cleanest electrolytes on the market and I personally think they taste amazing (warning: they can be really salty for a lot of people, so if you don’t love the salty taste start with ½ a pack).
My “chocolate water” concoction has basically become my whole personality [more on my chocolate water concoction later]. I look forward to this beverage as my lil sweet treat every single day. I’ll have this in the morning, either during or right after my workout. These are my favorite flavors:
Creatine
Creatine is one of the most researched and widely used supplements. Historically, it was largely only tested on men, but there is now strong evidence for the benefits of creatine for women. I personally take it and notice a huge difference in quicker muscle recovery, more visible muscle tone, increased energy and improved exercise capacity. A small daily dose (usually 3–5 grams) is sufficient, making it easy to incorporate into daily routines. I’m not partial to a certain brand, but this is the one I use (just make sure it is creatine monohydrate and third-party tested):
Protein Powder
Similar to my thoughts around supplementation, I think the best source of protein is from whole food sources. That being said, I’m a gal on the go and I love incorporating protein powder to ensure I’m fueling my body with an adequate amount of protein. In case you missed my last substack post, I shared a typical what I eat in a day and your girl eats a lot of protein.
I have a few favorites, but recently I’ve been really into Perfect Aminos. Unlike traditional protein powders derived from whey or plant sources, Perfect Aminos contains only pure amino acids (the building blocks of protein) without any calories, carbs, added sugars, or fats. This is such a great clean, bio-available, zero calorie protein source option!
Sidenote, if you want to learn more about the power of amino acids, I’d recommend the following podcast episodes:
Here are some other protein powders I love:
Now for my daily sweet treat: my Chocolate Water Concoction. I use a Shaker Bottle and add my LMNT chocolate electrolytes, creatine, and chocolate protein powder of choice with water and ice, and ooh baby! It tastes like a chocolate milkshake. Don’t knock it till ya try it, folks!
[this is the least aesthetic photo but alas…]
Night Time
Apparently I have an obsession with chocolate beverages, because next on the list is another chocolate potion that I look forward to every night! Beam Dream powder is a night time blend of hemp, reishi, magnesium, l-theanine, and a small amount of melatonin. I take Beam Dream about an hour before bed and it has done wonders to help me sleep. I wouldn’t recommend this product for people who don’t have a hard time sleeping, because it’s pretty potent. The brownie batter flavor mixed in hot water is my nightly hot chocolate, and it’s chef’s kiss! I’ve also tried the white chocolate peppermint flavor of Beam Dream powder and it was both absolutely delicious.
I have a code for $30 off your first purchase on any Beam product if you use this link: https://share.shopbeam.com/allieemslie3
SUPPIES
I’m not going to recommend any specific supplements, as I mentioned I think this is highly bio-individual. However, I will share what I take on a daily basis. I personally take Magnesium (Glycinate/Citrate/Malate blend) every night. Magnesium has become a non negotiable for me for sleep, digestion, and muscle recovery. Beyond that, everything else I take is just extra because I love supplements. I’m partial to Pure Encapsulations as a brand; I think they are affordable, high quality and trustworthy! Here are some of the non essential supplements I take:
Vitamin D3
Vitamin B12
Digestive Enzymes (before a meal if I need extra support)
Glutathione (antioxidant great for detoxing the liver after drinking)
NAC
Trace Minerals
Adrenal Support (great for that ‘tired but wired’ feeling)
And last but not least, in the spirit of fall I wanted to share this Pumpkin Smoothie that has been a recent hyper fixation of mine:
Pumpkin Smoothie Recipe
4 oz plain greek yogurt (great way to get additional protein and creaminess in smoothies!)
Scoop of your favorite protein powder
Pumpkin pie spice
Few drops of English Toffee Liquid Stevia (not necessary and not the healthiest but tasty and #balance!)
3 oz pumpkin puree
3 oz banana
Splash of water or milk of choice
Shit ton of ice
That’s it for this week! If my approach to nutrition + wellness speaks to you, and you’re interested in learning more about the Healing Forward coaching experience, please reach out to me at allie@healingforwardhealth.com. I’m offering free sessions for the remainder of the year. 😊
Till next time!
Allie