Here at Flora & Fauna, we’re prioritising self-care for the month of August!
A holistic approach to self-care allows us to nurture our inner and outer health so that can look and feel our best. Are you feeling a bit burnt out lately? Keep on reading to find out our essential tips for ultimate self-care!
1. Eat Well, Feel Well!
We all know that a poor, unbalanced diet can wreak havoc on our mood and energy levels. Nourishing your body with healthy, plant-based foods is essential in your self-care routine! But, who said healthy eating has to be boring?
Cooking can be extremely therapeutic, and it feels great to impress your friends and family with new recipes!
Thriving On Plants by Cherie Tu is our absolute favourite vegan cookbook. With over 75 delicious plant-based recipes — like Miso Ramen, Buddha Bowl, Lasagne, Banh Xao, Peanut Butter Waffle — you’ll be itching to get into the kitchen to cook up a storm!
Sometimes even when we eat well, we lack in certain vitamins and minerals. Boosting our intake in supplement form can help us to look and feel our best. The Vitus range of supplements are entirely plant-sourced and vegan. If you’re looking to increase your Vitamin B12, Calcium, Iron, Spirulina, Magnesium, or Omega 3 intake — look no further.
Eating well and feeling good also means taking care of your gut health. A healthy gut contributes to a strong immune system, heart health, brain health, improved mood, healthy sleep, and effective digestion — it’s safe to say that it’s pretty important! We recommend the Vitus Digestive Powder — it's a whole-food fibre blend that supports healthy digestion and overall gut health. If you’re struggling with poor digestion or gastrointestinal discomfort, this might be the product for you!
2. Move Your Body!
A big part of holistic self-care is the discipline to move your body — but it doesn’t have to be strenuous or unenjoyable! We recommend a simple at-home yoga routine to start your day. There are so many free tutorials on YouTube that you can follow, or you could just stretch and move intuitively. If you’re in the mood to sweat — go for a run around your neighbourhood and feel the stress of the day melt away.
If you’re lifting weights, it’s recommended that you consume an adequate amount of protein to help your body repair and rebuild its muscles. Amazonia’s Raw Protein Isolate is an organic, raw, prebiotic, dairy-free protein with premium bioavailability — plus it’s absolutely delicious! Pop it in a banana smoothie or just mix it with your favourite plant-based mylk/water. This protein powder is also enhanced with live digestive enzymes and prebiotics (food for good digestive bacteria) to support digestive balance — so it’s a good all-rounder for everyday consumption.
3. Get Your Quality Zzz's.
We all know how important getting enough sleep is. But what about the quality of your sleep? If you’re struggling to fall asleep or waking up feeling tired and cranky, you may want to rethink your pre-bedtime routine!
Throughout the day, it’s so important to increase your exposure to bright light to align with your circadian rhythm. In the evening, we need to reduce the blue light from screens so that our body recognises that it’s night-time.
When we’re finally ready for bed, it’s essential to relax our senses and completely switch off for the night. Diffusing essential oils is definitely our favourite way to relax, especially with the ultra-sleek Perfect Potion Ceramic Ultrasonic Diffuser.
Looking for some night-time blends? Our new Perfect Potion Relax Essential Oil Trio Kit comes with three beautiful sleepy blends (think: notes of lavender, orange, geranium and chamomile).
Lastly, hopping into bed with a cup of the Love Tea Sleep Tea will have you snoozing in seconds.
4. Give Yourself the Spa Treatment!
We should all find joy and comfort in taking care of our outward appearance. Whether its investing time into a complex skincare routine or relaxing in the tub with a body scrub — if it brings you joy, do it!
There’s nothing that says 'spa treatment’ quite like the Retreatment Botanics Kakadu Brightening Set. This gorgeous set comes with the Instant Glow Masque (75ml), the Kakadu Brightening Serum (25ml) and a 100% Cotton Muslin Face Cloth. Retreatment Botanics, by Olivia Newton-John, is used at Gaia Retreat's Spa in Byron Bay!
If you’ve only got five minutes — we recommend a simple body massage with the Absolute Essential Wintergreen Essential Oil. This wonderful essential oil helps to boost circulation and relieve muscle tension and tightness. Add 10 drops of Wintergreen to a massage/carrier oil and rub in gentle, circular motions on your body. Or, add 10 drops of Wintergreen with 10 drops of Lavender True to the bath for a relaxing soak.
Self-care is all about rituals. Investing just ten or twenty minutes a day for yourself (and yourself only!) can work wonders.
5. Nurture Your Connections.
This last tip is a little bit different. Many of us going through a bit of a rough time at the moment — or watching family, friends and colleagues struggle through a similar situation.
It’s so important to reach out and build/maintain relationships. Bonding with one another fosters a sense of community, which gives us a sense of belonging! Being physically isolated doesn’t mean that we have to be socially isolated. Incorporating yourself into your local community (or even building your own community) can work wonders for your mental health.
Why not send a hand-written letter to a friend? Or send a bunch of flowers to your mum, dad or sibling? If you’re not isolating, why not volunteer at a community garden, homeless shelter or with the Red Cross? Nurturing your existing connections, or helping those in need, is really the most powerful act of self-care.
Having a holistic approach to self-care helps us prioritise our inner and outer health — meaning that we can truly be our best selves.
What are some of your favourite ways to practice self-care?
